


Cycle of Vengeance

by codenametargeter



Series: We Rise and We Fall and We Break [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Covers TFA territory, Everyone Has Issues, Family Problems, Family Secrets, Hux Has Issues, Hux's name is Brendol in this, Light Side AU, M/M, Mostly Bloodline compliant, Not everyone's making it out alive, The Skywalker Genes bred true with Ben, ben has issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2018-12-11 19:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 66,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11720532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/codenametargeter/pseuds/codenametargeter
Summary: War! After the Battle of Tieos, it's impossible for the New Republic to ignore the threat of the First Order anymore. However, General Leia Organa's Resistance still leads the charge against them. Family secrets now out in the open, Ben and Hux are together again and still fighting with the Resistance.And somewhere in the shadows of the galaxy... the First Order has a new weapon... and Luke Skywalker is still missing...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> And we're back! *slides in singing What'd I Miss like she's Jefferson* This has definitely been a way longer break between the fics than I intended but everything kinda spiraled out of control with Celebration and then my stupid self deciding to build two armor costumes in two months and honestly, I didn't have the inspiration to write. Shockingly, the Hux we left at the end of Scattered to the Winds isn't a particular delight to have in your head. But hey! Here we are now and I hope to keep this going on a pretty regular basis. I've already got the next two chapters written and have made some progress on Chapter 4 so cross your fingers. Also, the archive warnings on this fic are subject to change as I haven't quite made up my mind regarding how certain things will go.
> 
> If you missed it, I did post a short little Kalin focused one shot called [Some Spies on the Inside](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11384799) that takes place after The Enemy Ahead and leads right up to her reintroduction in Scattered to the Winds. I'd... recommend reading it before starting this. 
> 
> And with that I'll shut up and just let you read.

 

This was not what Ben had expected when he’d originally decided to follow his boyfriend and join the Resistance that his own mother had started. To be fair, he had never expected to ever be involved with Hux so really this had just been months and months of surprises. But this…

It was his fault. Partially. He’d been one of the people to talk to Tycho about how Hux hadn’t reacted at all to his father’s death and it’d lead to… this. He didn’t even know what to call it but he didn’t like it.

It had been three long months since the Battle of Tieos and Ben honestly wasn’t sure how much longer he could take of sitting there while his boyfriend seemed so… adrift. Ever since they’d first met all those years ago, Hux had always been one of the most focused and driven people he’d ever met. It didn’t seem right for him to have… nothing. He’d been so sure that what Tycho’d done had been the right decision. He still believed that. Hux had needed help and that Doctor Marginy had been able to do… something for him. Ben didn’t really get it but after two months, Hux had seemed to have actually started to deal with his father’s death more normally. Not that there was anything really normal about killing your estranged father who you’d run away from years ago but who the hell was he to talk about normal?

That wasn’t a mental path he liked to go down though. If he thought too much about Kyla Ren then he remembered her as Rey and everything that had happened with Uncle Luke and-- he didn’t like it. It was something that still literally gave him nightmares.

With a sigh, Ben ran a hand through his unruly hair and rose to his feet, knees creaking in protest from inactivity. Meditation that afternoon was clearly a lost cause. He’d never liked it anyways. (There were a lot of things he didn’t like lately.) Slowly yet deliberately, he wound his way back down the hill to and then through the base. He was supposed to talk to his mother at some point that day. She hadn’t specified when or why but sooner was probably better than later when it came to her. Good thing a Force connection made finding her a relatively easy task.

As he drew near the room she used as a de facto office and personal briefing room, he drew to a halt just outside the door, sensing that she wasn’t alone. His ears confirmed it a moment later. He knew eavesdropping was rude but he didn’t really care.

He could just make out Leia quietly asking, “How sure are you?”

“Extremely sure, ma’am,” Poe replied seriously. “I wouldn’t be taking this mission solo if I wasn’t.”

There was a pause and Ben could almost hear the smile on his mother’s face. “You’re a good man, Poe. Your mother would be very proud of you if she was still with us.”

“That’s nice of you to say, General.”

“I said it because it’s true,” Leia said in her usual no-nonsense tone. “Now. Are you sure that you won’t bring a wingmate with you for back up?”

“No, I think two ships might draw too much attention that far out,” Poe responded.

“In which case, you’ll take one of the other x-wings and leave your specially painted one behind.”

“General, I--”

“That was an order, Commander Dameron.”

There was a pause before Poe said, “Yes ma’am.”

“That’s what I thought.”

In a way, it was nice that his mother treated everyone like this and it wasn’t just Ben who lost all of his arguments with her.

“I’ll go speak with the mechanic chief now and plan on heading out to Jakku first thing tomorrow,” Poe said.

“Keep me apprised,” Leia said, the words clearly a dismissal even as she raised her voice to say, “Ben, stop lurking like a loth cat.”

Flushing guiltily, Ben stepped around the corner and both pairs of eyes were immediately turned on him. “You were busy,” he mumbled. With an amused look that Leia definitely didn’t see, Poe turned and clapped Ben on the shoulder as he left the room, leaving the two Organas alone. Uncomfortably, Ben scuffed at the floor with one boot, eyes down for a long handful of moments before he looked up at his mother again. “You said you wanted to talk to me.”

It was another moment before some of the tension vanished from her shoulders. “Yes, I did. I heard from Han earlier. He said he might have some more supplies for us in a few weeks. I thought you’d like to make the run and maybe take Hux with you.”

Ben narrowed his eyes. “Why can’t Dad come here himself?”

“Is there a reason why you don’t want to go?” Leia countered.

“Because I thought you two were done with whatever stupid… whatever,” he finished lamely.

She fixed him with a mildly amused stare for a few long moments before shaking her head. “You are most definitely your father’s son. He’s just got more than what he can fit in the  _Falcon_ ’s cargo hold.”

“Why are you sending me?”

“You need something to do besides brood.”

“I am not brooding.”

Leia gave him another one of those looks. “You’ve been brooding for weeks now, Ben.”

He leaned against the wall and slumped. “Everything’s been weird and boring and you won’t let me go after Kyla Ren. What else am I supposed to do?”

“Wait,” Leia said almost apologetically. “Wars like this aren’t always exciting. We don’t have clear battle lines and even though the New Republic’s paying more attention, that doesn’t mean that all we do anymore is fight. We can’t. This isn’t like the Clone Wars.”

“I wish it was,” Ben said frustratedly. “I could do something if it was.”

“Thousands of clones and Jedi died in that war,” Leia said flatly. “I don’t want you dying in this one.”

“You sound like Hux,” he mumbled.

“There’s a reason why I like your boyfriend,” she said, pausing before continuing. “How is he?”

Ben shrugged. “Bored. Like me.”

“That wasn’t what I meant.”

He shrugged again. “That doctor Tycho made him talk to said he’s fine now but he doesn’t have any real assignments to do so he’s bored.”

Leia’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. “He reports to Tycho, not to me.”

“Yeah but everyone reports to you so…”

“I can’t interfere just because he’s your boyfriend.”

“Why not?”

“Because this isn’t a dictatorship, Ben.”

That was a tone of voice he knew all too well. Defeated, he sighed. “Fine. Whatever.”

Reaching up, she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “I’m sure Tycho has his reasons. Things will change soon enough, Ben. It’s going to be all hands on deck once we’re fighting the First Order on a daily basis. Now, do you want to take this supply run whenever your father gives me a date or do I need to assign it to someone else?”

“No, I’ll do it. I just need a ship.”

Leia shook her head with a laugh. “You’ll have a ship. Now--”

Before she could get any further, someone in the doorway cleared their throat politely, waiting until they’d both turned towards her to speak. “Sorry to interrupt, General,” Korr Sella said, “but you wanted to speak to me?”

Ben knew how to take a cue. Sometimes. “I was just leaving. I’ll talk to you later, Mom.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Leia said dryly before turning back to Korr. He could just barely hear her say, “I know you just got back but I need you to go to Hosnian Prime for me,” before he was out of earshot.

Maybe his mom was right and this supply run would help him stop brooding. Maybe it would even help Hux. He guessed they’d find out in a few weeks.

~

Hux was so bored that he wanted to scream. He’d said all of the right things that that doctor had wanted to hear, convincing him that his ridiculous therapy had worked. In a way, he supposed that it had. He didn’t feeling nothing anymore when he thought about his father’s death. He felt a sense of satisfaction combined with relief. Whether that was better than nothing was apparently not up to him but that so-called doctor had said it was and that should have been good enough for General Celchu but so far? Nothing.

Technically, he was active duty with the Resistance again. Technically. That didn’t mean he had any projects of substance to work on. At most, he reviewed basic analyst level documents. Other days, he was left to his own devices. Like today.

He’d taken to keeping a casual eye on the comings and goings of the more notable Resistance personnel, partially due to his own curiosity and partially because it was something to do. He liked knowing things and this was the only thing he was left with. The fleet had been regularly deployed with very little pattern to when certains ships were in orbit about D’Qar and it bothered him that he hadn’t be able to discern one yet. The  _Adamant_  hadn’t been around in weeks. Liselle had disappeared on a field mission shortly after Tieos, reappeared for about a week, and then vanished again on what he presumed was another job for Cracken. Poe Dameron’s Black Squadron had continued to disappear on their top secret missions for Leia with increased frequency. Oddly enough, he’d left alone on yet another mysterious job several days prior.

All of this was what Colonel Brendol Hux was reduced to. It was work worthy of a junior grade lieutenant.

If nothing else, at least it’d given him more time with Ben; something their relationship had desperately needed as they continued to try and repair it after what’d happened on Ukio. Trust wasn’t something that was rebuilt overnight but when paired with love… It still felt strange to even think of the word much less say it but there was no question in his mind any longer that he loved Ben Organa Solo. It was an emotion he’d never expected to experience and yet there he was: in love with a man who’d once made his life hell.

They'd been eating breakfast together in the base’s mess earlier that morning when Ben’s comlink had started beeping insistently despite his efforts to ignore it. Hux hadn’t been able to make out what was said but Ben had rolled his eyes, said it was his mother summoning him, and then left without knowing when he’d be back. He wasn’t overly surprised given the summoner in question. That had left Hux with not much else to do but wander the base.

He was just coming back inside from walking around the landing field when he almost ran smack into Ben.

“Sorry,” the Jedi apologized.

“It’s fine,” Hux waved it off before catching sight of the bag on his shoulder. “Where are you going?”

Ben winced guiltily. “Mom’s sending me on a mission for the Resistance. I think I’ll only be gone two days at most.”

“To where?”

He looked down. “I can’t tell you. I’m not supposed to talk about it with anyone.”

A part of Hux wanted to object, to argue but the rest of him knew it was pointless. All of the years spent in the military had engrained the need for secrecy for certain missions regardless of whether others liked it. He definitely didn’t like not knowing. Instead, he kept his expression blank and nodded curtly. “I understand. Be careful.”

“I always am,” Ben said cheekily.

“You most certainly are not.”

“Okay well I try at least. Most of the time. We can talk about all of this when I get back,” Ben promised, dark eyes earnest as he leaned forward to brush his lips against his cheek. “Love you,” he said before turning and running off in the direction of the landing field.

Hux watched his boyfriend’s retreating back for a few moments longer before stepping into the control room. General Organa stood there, hands spread and leaning on the center console. There were plenty of other people present but everyone seemed to move around her. She was an island of stillness amongst a sea of activity. “Dameron’s not back,” he observed.

“Yes,” Leia said shortly, not looking up from her task. “Did you need something, Hux?”

“No ma’am,” he said, falling into the comfortable military stance. “I merely wanted to offer any assistance that I can.”

That caught her attention. Leia looked over at him. “What did Ben say?”

Hux shook his head. “Only that he was leaving for a few days.”

“It should be less than that. It’s a simple retrieval run. Nothing to be concerned about or help with, Hux.” She paused, smiling wryly at him. “It’ll be fine.”

He knew a dismissal when he heard one. “Of course, General,” he said, nodding and stepping away. From across the room, Kalin caught his eye and smiled. It took only a few strides combined with some weaving in and out of other Resistance fighters to close the distance between them. “You’re moving up in the galaxy, Commander Werth.”

“This is a temporary assignment, Colonel Hux,” she said. “You know that.”

“Of course,” Hux said even though he didn’t. “It’s good that you’re working for her. You’re too smart to be wasted in just Statura’s division.” His blue eyes flittered around the room, taking in all of the activity again. “What’s all of this?”

Kalin glanced from side to side before shaking her head. “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

“Later?”

“No, it can be now,” she said, locking her terminal and leading him out of the main control room. “There’s a lot going on.”

“I noticed,” Hux said. “Ben just went off on a mission for General Organa that I don’t believe for a moment is a simple retrieval and Dameron’s still off on one of his secret missions for her too.”

“And she sent Winter on some diplomatic mission for her halfway across the galaxy and she sent Korr back to Hosnian Prime the other day,” Kalin finished with a nod. “She left around the same time as Poe; said General Organa needed her to speak to the Senate.”

“Do you know what’s going on?” he asked her bluntly, having lost all patience for subtlety.

Kalin hesitated. “Only some. Not much. I’m not in her inner circle like Korr is.”

“Neither am I.”

“All I know is that Poe missed his check in by a few days and there was talk that he’d been captured.”

“And now Ben’s off on a retrieval mission.” Frustrated, Hux’s hands curled into fists twice before relaxing again.

“He took Blue Squadron with him,” Korr said quietly.

Hux blinked. “What?”

“Ben’s taking Blue Squadron with him,” Korr repeated. “I saw the orders go through.”

Hux swore under his breath. “I knew there was something off when I talked to him. I should have--”

“What?” Kalin cut him off. “Done what?”

“I--” Hux stopped and sighed, frustrated. “Nothing. I can do nothing anymore.”

There was sympathy in Kalin’s dark eyes and he hated seeing it. “I’m sorry, Hux.”

He hated hearing her say that too. “Why?” he asked harshly. “It’s not your fault that Celchu won’t fully restore me to active duty. I can’t for the life of me understand why he won’t.”

“I’m sure he has his reasons,” she offered diplomatically.

“I’m sure,” he said acidly.

Kalin’s expression betrayed nothing about her thoughts. It was something he’d always appreciated when she was his head but that he found irritating now. Her only movement was to fold her arms across her chest. “Can we speak with no decor?” He nodded, not entirely expecting the bluntness of her next words. “Honestly, Hux? I think that you’ll be fine when you want to be fine.”

His blue eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She shifted uncomfortably. “You know I don’t like doing this.”

“You brought it up,” Hux reminded her.

“You need more friends,” Kalin deflected.

“I have three including you. That’s more than enough.”

Kalin shook her head with amusement. “Okay, fine. What I meant is what I said. I think Tycho is waiting for you to decide that you’re okay again.”

Hux stared at her in silence for a long moment. “That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s a theory. I don’t know for sure.”

“How am I supposed to demonstrate that I’m fine when he won’t assign me any work of substance?” Hux continued on as if he hadn’t even heard her. “What person could possibly be fine with nothing to do but dwell?” Kalin shrugged helplessly. “This would all be far simpler in the First Order. You kill your enemy and you move on. This wouldn’t have been given a second thought if I was still there.”

“Is that what you want?” Kalin asked sharply.

“What?”

“Do you really want to be back in First Order?”

He hesitated, having never really considered it before. “No. No, I left for a reason.”

“Right,” Kalin said. “And how long have people been telling you that it’s okay to have emotions here?”

Hux frowned.  “Those conversations were private.”

“I pay attention. That’s why you liked having me as your aide.”

“Mm.”

Kalin sighed, one hand reaching out as if she was going to touch his arm but then dropped again after thinking better of it. “Things will change soon, Hux. They have to. You’re too good to leave on the sidelines when we’re at war. Just… stop beating yourself up because you think you did something wrong.”

He gritted his teeth before letting out a sigh. “Easier said than done.”

“I know,” she said, tone walking that fine line of sympathy that kept it from pity. “I should--”

“Of course,” Hux cut her off. “I shouldn’t be taking up so much of your time.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Kalin said with a half smile before heading back into the control room.

That left Hux alone once more with nothing but his thoughts. Perhaps Kalin had had a point but achieving it would be… difficult to say the least. If nothing else, his current menial work felt like somewhere to begin.

Squaring his shoulders, he began the short walk towards one of Intelligence’s analysis rooms. It would be a start.

~

_Hours Later:_

Across the galaxy, they felt it.

Within the depths of hyperspace, Ben Organa Solo felt the screams.

On the grasses of Takodana, Maz Kanata felt what she’d hoped to never feel again.

At the base on D’Qar, Leia Organa felt a sensation of anguish both lesser and worse than the one she’d felt thirty-four years ago as she’d watched her homeworld be reduced to rubble.

In the space above, Kyla Ren felt a punch to her gut although she allowed herself to acknowledge it no more than she did the name that she’d been born with and kept staring straight out the viewport.

And somewhere, in the depths of space and on a planet long forgotten by most of the galaxy, Luke Skywalker felt the blinding pain that had made his own mentor falter all those years ago.

It was as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

Again.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may notice over this chapter and the next that I do a lot of handwaving regarding events in The Force Awakens. _Just roll with it._ Pretty please. (Just dear god don't ask me about Jakku.)

Ben was still shaken as the Resistance transport dropped out of hyperspace above Takodana. He didn’t have a name for what he’d just felt through the Force. The pain and loss had been immeasurable and yet it felt like those words still weren’t good enough to encompass it. He didn’t know which one but something in him knew that an entire planet had just been destroyed. The First Order must have built another Death Star. There was no other explanation for that sort of abrupt loss. Once he’d been able to stand again after the initial shockwave, he’d bolted to the refresher and vomited, ignoring the odd looks the Resistance soldiers shot him. He wasn’t feeling much better now.

“Ashe, I need you to send a message to my mother immediately,” Ben said to the captain, one hand resting on her chair and another on the copilot’s. “Tell her I felt it too and I need to know where it was.”

The tan skinned woman frowned at him. “That’s very cryptic.”

“I know. She’ll know what it means. And also--”

“Contact!” Raxa, the zabrak copilot, interrupted them. “Our scanners show a Star Destroyer on the opposite side of the planet and it looks like at least a squadron of TIE fighters are doing a bombing run down on the surface near the coordinates we’re supposed to aim for.”

Ben grimaced. So much for an easy retrieval mission. “Tell Blue Squadron to take those TIEs on and provide us whatever escort they can down to the surface. We have to get to Poe.”

Ashe was already piloting the ship towards the planet even as she asked, “Are you sure?”

“We have to be,” he said firmly. “I still need my message sent back to base though. And you might as well tell her about this too.”

“Right,” Ashe said, sparing a hand from the controls to brush a strand of dark purple hair from her face. “Raxa, can you…?

“On it.”

“And I’ll tell everyone to arm up,” Ben said, over his shoulder as he headed towards the cargo hold. “We’re going to have to fight our way out of here.”

He had to give Ashe and Raxa credit; the ride down the planet was smoother than he expected with TIE fighters shooting at them the closer they got to the surface. Their ground team wasn’t a particularly large one since they’d hoped not to tangle with the First Order but things never seemed to go according to plan anymore. “We’ve got to get Poe and BB-8 out of here,” he told the team gravely, hanging on to the support bar above for balance as the ship came in for its final landing. “Everything else is secondary.”

No one acknowledged his words verbally but most nodded and there was determination in all of their faces. That determination stayed with them as the ship hit dirt, the boarding ramp extended, and the Resistance stormed onto the green grass of Takodana. They’d arrived at a war zone. Maz Kanata’s castle, an ancient structure that had stood for centuries, had been reduced to a pile of rubble. It would have shocked Ben more if he hadn’t recently felt the death of an entire planet. 

Blue Squadron, even without Poe leading them, had made good progress against the First Order’s starfighters and even, he suspected, against some of their stormtroopers if he was reading the scorch marks right. Using the Force, he reached out with his senses, trying to find wherever Poe had gotten to. Hopefully he wasn’t dead or else--there he was. About thirty meters away, he spotted Poe and some dark skinned man he didn’t recognize taking shelter behind a pile of rubble, popping up every now and then to shoot at the stormtroopers. Ben broke into a run, igniting his lightsaber and launching himself at a group of stormtroopers. The element of surprise was with him as he made short work of the trio.

“I was wondering if General Organa had gotten my message,” Poe said as Ben came over to the shelter, face devoid of its usual, easy smile and replaced by a far more serious look. 

“We can't break the laws of hyperspace like you,” Ben half joked, keeping an eye on the still active battlefield. He nodded towards the stranger. “Who’s this?”

“Finn, Ben. Ben, Finn,” Poe introduced them swiftly. “Ben, they've got BB-8. We have to get him back!” 

“Yeah Mom said--”

“We need to get to him now!” 

There was something frantic in Poe’s voice that made Ben give him a concerned look. “Okay,” he said simply. “Where?”

“Follow me.”

They weren't so much following the pilot, Ben soon realized, as they were the indignant shrieks of BB-8 who clearly was not going with the First Order quietly. As they clambered up a pile of rubble, his suspicions were confirmed. The little droid appeared to be spinning too rapidly for the stormtroopers to get a good hold and using some internal tool to leave scorch marks on their armor. 

“That’s my droid,” Poe said like a proud parent. 

“We better get him fast,” Finn said, gesturing with his acquired blaster towards the sky.  “Reinforcements. And it’s not just more stormtroopers.”

He was right. Somehow he knew what Ben could sense: Kyla Ren was on that ship. Not that there was much time to wonder how Finn knew. Digging into his pocket, Ben pulled out a comlink and tossed it at Poe. “Here. You should be able to reach our ground team with this. Snap too. Go get your droid.”

Finn frowned at him. “Where are you going?”

Ben grinned. “To make my boyfriend very mad at me."

As he ignited his lightsaber and moved towards his cousin’s ship, he could faintly hear Poe promising to explain everything to Finn later. He was fairly sure that facing down an actual ship didn’t count as being careful but what Hux didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Less stormtroopers filed down the boarding ramp than he expected but it was still more than he wanted to fight in addition to Kyla. Strangely, they didn’t attack but rather took up honor guard positions, two on either side of the ramp. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what they were waiting for. 

“Just turn around now and leave,” Ben said loudly as Kyla Ren descended. 

She’d either fixed her mask in the months since he’d last seen her or gotten a new one. “I’m taking the droid. Don’t get in my way.”

“Too late,” Ben said, switching his lightsaber from his left hand to his right and settling into a fighting stance

“Fine,” she said, more than a hint of exasperation making it through her vocoder. “I’ll move you.”

That was the only warning he got before she reached out with the Force and tried to throw him. He managed to plant his feet but just barely, still sliding away from her a little. “You’ll have to try harder than that,” he growled before jumping towards her, lightsaber swinging. She parried easily, only igniting one of her blades as she shifted on to the offensive. 

Kyla’s speed was there but it felt as if she was missing her usual single-minded purpose as they dueled. Ben didn’t dwell on it but tried to press his advantage, using his height and reach to force her backwards when he could. The closer they got to her ship, the more his own attention divided as he kept half an eye on the stormtroopers. He didn’t trust them not to get involved.

Out of nowhere, she suddenly exploded with a flurry of blows, igniting the other end of her saber and forcing him backwards. “The droid,” she hissed. “I’m taking him and the information he has.”

Before he could respond, several blasters fired almost as one, taking out the four stormtroopers. They each collapsed to the ground in a clatter of white armor. Ben jumped backwards, giving himself enough distance to glance over his shoulder. The Resistance stood there, blasters at the ready to fire again. 

“You’re not taking my friend,” Poe said grimly.

He could almost feel the glare Kyla directed towards the pilot. “You again.”

Any of the habitual cheer was gone from Poe’s demeanor. “Me.” 

“Were our dealings on the  _ Finalizer _ not enough for you?”

Poe didn’t rise to the bait. “You can’t pull that trick from the village on all of us.”

“Better run home to the Supreme Leader,” Ben taunted her with an echo of what she’d said to him the last time they met. “He’s not going to like that you failed.”

She looked up from him to the line of Resistance fighters, seemingly evaluating her options. “This isn’t over, Solo. You won’t win.”

“Watch us,” Ben said, deadly serious.

For a moment, she seemed inclined to stay and argue with him violently until the Resistance began firing at her again but even Kyla Ren couldn’t block eight blaster bolts at once and so she fled back onto her ship, the boarding ramp shutting behind her as it took to the air and retreated. 

Ben turned and raised an eyebrow at Poe. “You got your droid?”

He nodded. “Finn’s guarding him back by your ship.”

“Good,” Ben said more automatically than anything, returning his lightsaber to his belt as he climbed up the pile of rubble towards the others. “What does he have anyways?”

“Information,” Poe answered simply as they started making their way across the battlefield.

“Like what?” 

Poe ignored him and Ben rolled his eyes unseen. “Did you see it or were you still in hyperspace?”

“See what?” Ben asked even though he already knew the answer. 

“See what happened in the sky.”

“No,” Ben said truthfully, hesitating. “But I felt it.”

Poe winced in sympathy, voice quieting as they neared the ship. “I’m sorry, buddy.”

“Do we know what happened?” Ben asked, raising his voice so Ashe and Raxa could hear him.

The captain shook her head. “We sent your message back but all they did was acknowledge it. Kaydel said something about the General being busy.”

“It was the First Order,” Finn interrupted. “They did it.”

Ben glanced over at the younger man, taking in how he held the stormtrooper blaster with practiced ease. Everything about his posture looked far too familiar. “How do you know for sure?”

“Because they are monsters.”

All three men turned to look down at the newcomer. “Maz, you made it out!” 

“Unlike my home,” the diminutive orange alien said matter-of-factly. She turned her gaze on Ben. “Ben Organa Solo. You’ve grown.”

“Just a little,” Ben replied, shifting uncomfortably under her scrutiny. The last time he’d been on Takodana, he’d been thirteen and with his father. He’d been smack in the middle of his awkward phase back then and had stared at the inhabitants of Maz Kanata’s castle as they all walked by. Han had nudged him in the ribs and told him to quit gawking before trouble happened. He’d also said to not tell Leia that they’d gone there. “Dad and Chewie say hi.”

“They should come visit me then,” Maz said. “Come with me.” Several of the Resistance fighters made to follow but without even looking back, she said, “Just you, Ben.” With a shrug, he followed as she wound her way through the rubble and back towards what was left of her castle. “It’s going to take years to rebuild this,” she said conversationally. 

“I’m sorry,” Ben offered, not knowing what else to say.

“It was only a matter of time before the First Order came here. Their shadow spreads across the galaxy. I’ve seen their sort of evil before.” She pointed towards a pile of stone that appeared no different from anything else around it. “There. Move those.”

“Why?”   


“You ask too many questions.”

Somehow, he didn’t think it would help his case to point out that he’d only asked one so far. Instead, he followed instructions, using the Force to grab large chunks of rubble at a time and gritting his teeth at the effort. Uncle Luke had always gone on about how size didn't matter when lifting things with the Force but it  _ did _ some times and destroyed castle was  _ heavy _ . As he cleared away the rubble, the entrance to some sort of cave or lower level became evident. He wasn't sure which. 

“Come on,” Maz said once he’d made a hole big enough even for him to pass through. That didn't stop him from almost hitting his head on a rock ceiling as he followed her down the stairs, eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness. She clicked her fingers and something turned on, softly illuminating the corridor. “At least that still works.” She led him towards a door at the end of the hallway, shoving it open with considerable ease given her size. There was a collection of oddities within the room and Ben had to stop himself from staring, settling on a look of mild confusion as she made straight for a wooden box and pulled something from it, handing it to him. “Take it.”

It was a lightsaber. “But I already have one,” Ben said stupidly. 

Maz shook her head. “Not like this one. This was--”

There was something about the silver hilt that felt strange, almost familiar. It wasn't because he recognized it with his eyes. It was something in the Force that called to him. It  _ sang _ . Slowly he extended his hand towards the lightsaber before stopping. “It was Vader’s.”

“No, it belonged to Luke and his father before him,” Maz corrected him.

Ben frowned. “So Vader.”

“Anakin. There was a difference,” she insisted. 

“If this was Uncle Luke’s first lightsaber, how did you find it?” Ben asked, brow still furrowed. “Mom always told me that he lost it on Cloud City.”

“A story for another time.”

“Why not now?”

“Because you must go fight back against the First Order and face Kyla Ren once more,” Maz said firmly, shaking the hilt at him again. “Take it.”

Slowly, he reached out and curled his fingers around the cool metal. Nothing happened. He wasn't sure what he had expected. Carefully, he clipped it to his belt opposite from his current saber. The extra, balancing weight felt strange. A realization hit him like a pile of duracrete and he looked into Maz’s eyes again. “The way you said Kyla Ren… You know don't you?”

“I know a lot of things, Ben Organa Solo,” she said almost mischievously, more like the woman he remembered from over a decade ago. “That’s what happens when you’re old.  Now go. Your mother needs you.”

~

Something in the air had changed in the base but Hux did his best to ignore it. He was sure it had something to do with some new plan that he’d have no part of. Not for a while anyways if the current pattern held. His earlier chat with Kalin had reinforced that the best thing to do right now would be to focus on whatever work he was given even if he didn’t like it. As it turned out, his laser focus backfired dramatically as he didn’t notice the uptick in chatter that started when someone new entered the room.

“Hux, with me in the control room right now.”

He frowned as he looked up at Leia who’d suddenly appeared in their incredibly unimportant part of the base. “Ma’am, General Celchu made it very clear that he wants me working only on--” 

The next thing he knew, there was a hand on his shoulder that spun his chair roughly around so he was quite literally face-to-face with Leia Organa. “Brendol, do I appear to give a damn about what Tycho said right now?”

“No ma’am,” he managed to say, fully understanding for the first time why so many Imperials had been terrified of her.

A fraction of a second later, she was upright again and gestured for him to follow her. “With me, Colonel Hux.  _ Now _ .”

Hux scrambled to his feet, having to talk several long strides to catch up. “What happened?”

“The First Order,” Leia said tightly even though that much was obvious. “They’ve taken out the Hosnian system.”

Hux was confused. “As in blockaded it? I wouldn’t think they’d have enough ships for Hosnian Prime much less the entire system especially with most of the Fleet in orbit.”

“No. I mean it’s destroyed entirely. Like Alderaan was.” Shocked, he stopped mid-step and just stared at her. Leia kept on walking. “There will be time for shock and mourning later, Hux. That time is not now.”

“Ma’am,” he said apologetically, half running to catch up. She moved far faster than any woman her height and age had any right to. His mind was going as fast as their feet were. Like Alderaan. That must mean the First Order had built another Death Star but how? The sheer volume of materials required were absurdly high and that was assuming they had the plans and built it right on the first try. The First Order he’d grown up in hadn’t been starving but they’d always been a few steps away from strapped for resources. It had been a part of living in exile. What had changed in the last dozen years? 

The control room was already buzzing with conversation. Word of the Hosnian system’s destruction had apparently spread fast or else they’d all been summoned by Leia. Everyone with a major rank or higher appeared present along with a good number of the support staff. Out of habit, he glanced around, trying to see who wasn’t there; who might not be coming back. As his gaze fell on Kalin, his breath caught. She’d just something earlier about Korr Sella being sent to Hosnian Prime. Had she-- He took a step towards his former aide but she caught his eye and shook her head a fraction of an inch. He acknowledged the gesture and instead found a place between the unofficial division between the naval and Intelligence officers. It felt appropriate. 

“There are rumors going around,” Leia started without any other introduction. Silence rippled across the room. “And I’d like to clear up those we can with what we know for sure. An hour ago, the First Order used some sort of super weapon to destroy the Hosnian system. All five planets and al of the fleet in orbit around Hosnian Prime are gone.”

Within an instant, the silence vanished and was replaced by an uproar. Apparently less people than he’d thought had heard the news. Leia stood there silently, letting the wave of shock and anger flow through the room for a minute before raising her hand to get everyone’s attention again. It only half worked. She glanced over at General Cracken who bellowed, “QUIET.” 

It took another few seconds before the volume fell to just a few mutters. “Thank you. I’m sure that all of you have a lot of questions. We have many of those questions too including wondering who might be alive. Many of us…” Her voice trailed off for the briefest of seconds. “Many of us have friends and family who were likely on Hosnian Prime. We’ll do what we can to find out their status but we’ll need all communications to go through Intelligence. We can’t risk giving away our location especially not until we know what weapon did this. Statura, I want every single member of the Resistance not currently on D’Qar to be accounted for.” The Admiral nodded, acknowledging the order. “Airen, I want all of our people pulled back.”

General Cracken raised a white eyebrow. “We have a few in very delicate situations right now.”

“Everyone who can be extracted should be,” Leia amended. “Use your judgement. Janson, where are you?”

“Back here!” The older pilot waved a hand to get her attention.

“Do whatever you have to to get in contact with Wedge and if you can’t-- if he’s not--”

“General?” The usually vibrant Myri Antilles slipped forward towards the front of the Intelligence crowd, her bright blue hair in contrast to her subdued demeanor. “He doesn’t need to. I’ve already heard from my dad. He was with part of the Fleet on Coruscant when it happened.”

There were more than a few relieved faces in the crowd. “Good,” Leia said, tone mostly neutral. “I’ll need to talk to him.”

“I’ve got a secure method,” Myri promised. 

Leia nodded again, satisfied. “Captain Kun, I’ll need Red Squadron to suit up and scout for us again. We need to know everything we can about what happened to the Hosnian System.”

“General?” Areta Bell interjected, waiting for Leia to look her way before speaking again. “Do we know what did this? Is it another Death Star?”

She took a moment to consider it before responding. “I don’t know. We’re going to find out though and whatever it is, we’re going to destroy it. The First Order won’t get away with this. You have my word. All of you.” 

Hux believed her. It seemed like everyone else in the room did too and why wouldn’t they? Leia Organa had survived the destruction of Alderaan and had a hand in the destruction of two Death Stars. It was hard not to believe her now. 

“What I have to ask of you now is that you all keep doing your jobs. I know it’s going to be difficult with so much uncertainty but the First Order wants us to fall to pieces and for this to be their finishing move. If we stop fighting them, it will be but we’re not going to let that happen, are we?” There was a murmured chorus of agreement. Leia paused, locking eyes with many of them before nodding curtly. “Dismissed.” 

Immediately, Hux fought his way through to crowd to Kalin. “Is everything alright?”

She shook her head. “We don’t know anything yet. She might have left already. It’s possible.”

“Kalin…” Hux started, voice trailing off as he realized that he didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t a situation where he knew what to do.

“I just don’t want to think about it yet,” Kalin said firmly. “General Organa’s right. We have work to do.” He nodded in response, almost relieved. “But Hux? I… thank you.”

Hux nodded again, still not knowing how to respond. He was saved by Leia walking up to them, expression sober. “There still hasn’t been any word yet,” she said without any preamble, not needing one. “She was scheduled to still be there for another day but I’m not willing to write Korr off as dead until we know for sure. The minute I know anything, I’ll make sure you know too.” 

“Thank you, General,” Kalin said quietly. 

Leia patted her on the arm. “We just have to hope for the best.” She turned to look up at Hux. “Hux, I’d like you to join me in my briefing room. We need whatever insight you can offer us into the First Order no matter how outdated.”

“I’m at your disposal, ma’am,” Hux said, straightening. She nodded and gestured for him to follow her. He and Kalin exchanged glances, a sentiment wordlessly passing between them before he followed Leia into the briefing room. They were the last two to arrive apparently. Most of the highest ranking faces from minutes earlier were present but almost all of them were people who could be considered Leia’s inner circle. Tycho caught his eye and nodded, seemingly accepting his presence there despite his own orders otherwise. 

“This is unbelievable,” Ackbar said, shaking his head. “I never thought we’d see another day like this.”

“None of us did,” Tycho said simply. “Hux, was there ever anything that made you think they could be planning this?”

Hux shook his head. “No, nothing. Not while I was there and certainly nothing while we were hunting them. There were always voices that spoke fondly of the Death Star’s capabilities but they were never the loudest. I can’t speak for what’s changed since, of course.”

“This is why I don’t want to pull everyone out, Leia,” Cracken said as he walked in, Myri with him. “I’ve got two agents who are poised to infiltrate.”

Leia merely nodded in acknowledgement before turning to look at Myri. “I need to talk to Wedge now, if you can.”

Myri smiled tightly, stepping up to the console. “That’s why I’m here.”

It took a moment but a hologram of the Admiral soon appeared above the console. “Myri?” Wedge asked tiredly. “Did something happen to your mom or Syal?”

Myri shook her head. “No, Dad. But someone needs to talk to you.”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re alive,” Leia said, stepping into the holocamera’s range. 

“You’ll be even happier once I tell you that I’ve got a third of Fleet with me and accounted for,” Wedge said. “Do we know how bad it was yet?”

“The entire Hosnian system.”

“The  _ system _ ? How?”

“We don’t know. I just sent some of our pilots to investigate and Poe’s on his way back with information that may be vital to our survival.”

Cracken beat all of them to the punch. “What is it?”

Leia shook her head. “I want him back here first. Ben’s team reported in just now. They should be on their way soon.” 

Wedge cleared his throat, the noise sounding strange with the static. “Leia, I need to know what your orders are. Do you want the Fleet there?”

She frowned. “I can’t give you orders, Wedge. I don’t think they even considered me a part of the Senate anymore.”

“Ma’am, you’re likely all that’s left of the Senate,” Greer said bluntly, arms folded across her chest. 

“I won’t be a dictator,” Leia said firmly. “That’s not the democracy I’ve fought for all of my life.”

Tycho broke in. “No one thinks you’ll be the next Palpatine.”

“No one ever expects anyone to be the next Palpatine. That’s how he rose to power.”

Silence took the room for a minute, no one quite willing to make eye contact. Even after over a decade with the New Republic, Hux still found this sort of internal debate fascinating. No one in the First Order would have ever questioned taking power when offered. Those who refused it were undoubtedly doomed to a life of mediocrity. He couldn’t fathom any general there turning down command of a fleet much less what was being put before her.

Cracken cleared his throat. “We don’t have a choice, Leia. If it’s as bad as we think it is, and I think it might be worse, we can’t turn down a resource like this. Like it or not, you’re the leader of the New Republic now. So what are your orders?” 

Leia was quiet for a moment, fiddling with the blue and gold ring she wore. “Pick a system friendly to us that won't be an obvious target and take the fleet there. Contact anyone else who might have survived and have them come to you.”

“Not to D’Qar?” Wedge asked with a frown. 

“Not yet. Send Tycho a full accounting of your ships, resources, everything. We may need your help fast. Have you heard from Iella?”

“She’s fine,” Wedge and Myri answered as one. “She was back on Corellia,” Myri finished. 

For the first time since all of this had begun, Leia smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. We’ll take all the good news we can get today. Keep Tycho updated.”

Wedge nodded. “Yes ma’am. Antilles out.” 

Leia barely waited for five seconds after the hologram flickered out of existence. “This isn't permanent, understand? The minute we can, we’re holding elections. I don't want to be a undemocratically appointed Chancellor.” No one said anything. “Are we all clear?” she said, emphasizing every word as she locked eyes with each person in the room

Tycho spoke for all of them. “Of course, ma’am.” 

Hux remained silent. It would be unwise to voice what at least some of them knew. The First Order may have murdered billions of people but they’d also possibly given the Resistance an Idiot’s Array. He’d studied his history. While the Empire had certainly done their best to suppress the true story, the destruction of Alderaan had been a boon to Rebel recruiting. People who had previously been content to sit back and wait had been galvanized to take action. He suspected the same would hold true within weeks as long as they found a way to destroy this new weapon. Not only that but Leia becoming the de facto galactic leader meant there would no more need to convince a body of politicians of the worthiness of their cause. If Wedge Antilles was any indication, she now had complete control of the Resistance and Republic fleets. Today had been a game changer for the war. It was just a matter of what they did over the next few days. 

“Hux?”

The voice startled him out of his thoughts and he immediately looked up at Leia. “Apologies, General. What did you need?”

“I want you to work with Intelligence. Go through everything and see what evidence you can find in retrospect that they were building this weapon. Determining that may help us cut off any future suppliers.”

“I can give you a team of five, including that one,” Cracken said gruffly, nodding towards Myri who grinned. 

“What about Afyon?” Hux asked even though he was fairly sure he already knew the answer.

Cracken shook his head. “She won’t be back for awhile.”

Hux nodded. “Understood.” Unable to stop himself, he glanced over at Tycho but the Alderaanian’s expression was neutral. 

“Have we missed anything?” Leia asked broadly, glancing around the handful of present faces. “Good. Let’s get back to work then.”

Everyone began to disperse, both Hux and Myri following Cracken towards the Intelligence bunker.

“I’ll start the caf,” Myri said once they arrived. “It’s going to be a long night.”


	3. Chapter 3

Time had stopped having any real meaning for Hux since the minute he’d sat down at the terminal. There were literal years worth of material to pour over without any real hope that they’d discover anything of consequence. Regardless, it felt good to be doing  _ something _ in a situation like this. Despite the weight of the moment, he found himself enjoying having something worthwhile to focus on for the first time in months.

That focus was abruptly broken by the one and only Ben Organa Solo. 

“Hey,” the Jedi murmured, hands on his shoulders as he kissed the top of Hux’s head. 

Hux glanced upwards and then shrugged his shoulders free so he could spin his chair around. “You’re back already.”

Ben smirked. “Obviously.” He looked around the room, exchanging nods with Myri when she looked up. “See, I told you that we’d talk when I got back.”

Hux sighed. “Ben, I do have actual work to do right now.”

“When did that happen?”

“When the First Order destroyed the Hosnian system.”

“Should’ve guessed that one.” The casual, teasing note vanished from Ben’s voice. He reached down and grabbed Hux’s hand. “Come on.”

Hux resisted. “I have work to do.”

“And I need to report in to Mom. You should be there.”

“Just go already, Colonel,” Myri interjected without looking up from her terminal beside him. “Leia’s just going to send someone to come find you anyways.”

“This is why I like you, Myri,” Ben declared, pulling Hux to his feet.

“I know,” she replied with a grin and haphazard salute. 

Hux had long since determined that it was better to let his ridiculous boyfriend win in situations like these. He still strongly objected to being pulled down a side corridor that definitely was not in the direction of where Leia was but those objections melted away as Ben kissed him hard. He returned the kiss with a little sigh, hands resting on Ben’s hips. “See?” Ben murmured when they parted, foreheads still almost touching. “I told you I’d be back alive.”

“No,” Hux corrected him. “What I told you was to be careful. Were you?”

“That depends on your point of view.”

“It’s a simple question, Ben.”

“I was as careful as I could be since Kyla Ren was there and we had to deal with her.”

The look Hux gave him was incredibly unamused. “So you’re going to tell me that you didn’t run headlong into unnecessary trouble?”

There was a flash of guilt in his dark eyes. “Yeah basically.”

“Liar,” Hux said fondly, reaching up and cupping his face with both hands and kissing him again. There’d been no reason to suspect that Ben had been near the Hosnian system at the time but that didn’t stop him from feeling a distinct sense of relief that his boyfriend was right there in his arms and most definitely still alive. It was more than Kalin could say. “What were you saying about reporting to your mother?”

Ben made a face. “Can’t we just pretend there isn’t a war going on for at least another minute?”

“No,” he said decidedly. Groaning, Ben’s strong arms pulled him closer and Hux frowned as he felt something unfamiliar press against his leg. “What’s this?” he asked, pulling away and nodding towards what he could now see was a second lightsaber hilt.

The Jedi sighed. “That’s a long story. It’s stupid really.”

“Aim for brevity.”

“I’d rather just tell you and Mom at the same time,” Ben deflected. “Come on, we should go find her. She’s probably already talking to Poe and Finn.”

Hux chose not to comment on how suddenly his desire to remain in the corridor and ignore the war had changed. As they walked into the control room, Leia and Statura were already talking to Dameron and another man that he’d never seen before. It was somewhat odd to see a new face around the base but with the destruction of the capitol, he suspected it would soon become far more common. 

“There you are,” Leia said as she spotted them. “You should have come here first, Ben”

Ben shrugged. “I had something else to do first.”

Shaking her head, Leia didn't bother responding, only nodded in greeting at Hux. He took it as her blessing to stay. 

“So what did Kyla Ren want?” Ben asked overly casually, glancing around the console. 

“Partially complete data,” Leia said cryptically. 

“I’m sorry but why is anyone worrying about Luke Skywalker when the First Order has Starkiller Base and we know it works?” the newcomer interrupted. 

Hux looked sharply at him and he wasn’t the only one. “That’s what they call it?”

At the same time, Ben exclaimed, “What does Uncle Luke have to do with anything?”

Leia held up a hand. “We can deal with one crisis at a time. Finn, we have scouts headed to the coordinates you gave us to see what else they can learn. Ben, we will discuss the rest of this later.” 

“But--”

“Ben.”

The Jedi settled for glaring. Leia didn't seem to care. 

“How did you know the base’s coordinates?” Hux asked in as much of a mildly disinterested tone as he could manage despite being the precise opposite. 

“I was a stormtrooper,” Finn said, shoulders tensing. “The First Order posted me there while they were building it.”

“I see.” Somehow, Hux managed to keep his face blank. So this was one of the products of his father’s program. He wondered if this Finn was a true defector or a carefully planted spy. He also wondered whether this had occurred to either Leia or Poe. 

“We won't know anything else until the scouts are back,” Leia said smoothly. “Poe, why don't you head over to medical? You should get those cuts checked out. Finn, you too.”

“You got it, General,” Poe said with nod before grabbing Finn’s arm and dragging him with him. 

Leia waited a moment before turning towards Ben. “Now. Your turn. What happened?”

Ben leaned against the nearest wall and sighed. “I went to Takodana like you told me to. The First Order was already there. We went in, found Poe, I had to fight Kyla Ren, and then she left. Oh and someone blew up a star system while we were on our way there. So it’s been a really fun day. How was yours?”

Hux thought he detected the slight expression of sadness at the mention of Hosnian on the general’s face but it vanished a moment later. Instead, Leia simply said. “Yes, Kaydel passed along your message.”

“Yeah. So. Kyla and I fought again. She still hates me and she’s probably going to hate me even more when she sees this.” Ben unclipped the second lightsaber from his belt and tossed it at his mother who caught it deftly.

With a frown, Leia turned the cylinder over in her hand as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. “How did you get this?”

“Maz Kanata.”

“What is that?” Hux asked.

“Maz is a who,” Ben corrected him. “She’s owned a cantina on Takodana for centuries. Or at least she did before the First Order blew it up. This was my Uncle Luke’s lightsaber and my grandfather’s before that.”

“How did she get it?” Leia asked, expression still surprised.

Ben made a face. “She wouldn’t tell me.”

“At all?”

“A story for another time,” Ben said, mimicking what Hux could only assume was whatever Maz sounded like. “Maybe we should ask Dad and Chewie to go. She’d probably tell them.”

Hux frowned. “So you think that this Maz knows where Luke Skywalker is then?”

Ben shook his head. “I mean, maybe but no. Uncle Luke lost this lightsabers ages ago.”

“How in the stars does one lose a lightsaber?” Hux asked. 

“Vader cut off his hand,” Leia replied matter of factly. 

“Ah.”

A storm of anger had been brewing within Ben as they’d all talked and it seemed to finally reach its peak. “Why didn't you tell me what Poe was doing?” 

“You’ve had your mission for the Resistance and Poe has had his,” Leia replied calmly. 

“Yeah well why wasn't finding Uncle Luke my mission?” Ben demanded. “Last time I checked, I’m the only Jedi left and the only nephew he has. Why’d you send some pilot?”

Leia’s expression never changed. “Poe has done an admirable job under the circumstances. He’s also not emotionally connected to the assignment. Unlike others.” She stressed the last word pointedly. 

“Yeah well you would be too if you’d been there!”

Hux reached out and laid a calming hand on Ben’s arm, unsurprised by how tense he was. “We needed you for another operation, if you’ll recall.” 

Ben clenched his jaw. “Yeah. Right. Whatever.” He took a deep breath and let it out with a  _ whoosh _ . “When you figure out where he is? It better be me who goes and not someone else.” Without so much as another word, he spun on his heel and stormed off. 

Hux and Leia exchanged looks, not needing to exchange actual words, before Leia dismissed him with a little nod and Hux went after Ben. Neither one of them said anything for a minute as they wound their way through the bustling halls. “Do you need to talk?” Hux finally asked. 

That made Ben stop abruptly and he looked at him suspiciously. “An offer to talk? Who are you and what have you done with Hux?”

“Hilarious,” Hux said without even a hint of a smile. “You’re avoiding the question.”

“I’m fine,” Ben replied grumpily. Hux gave him a look. “I’ll  _ be _ fine,” he amended. “Just pissed at Mom for doing this.”

“I’m sure she had her reasons.”

“Yeah sure. You don't have to always side with her.”

“I don't.”

“You do.”

“Only when she’s right.” 

“Which is all the time.”

“Merely frequently.”

“Whatever.” 

Silence hung between them again before Hux broke it. “I have to get back to work. I’ll see you at the briefing.”

Ben frowned. “What briefing?”

“Whatever briefing they end up holding to discuss what to do Starkiller.”

~

Hux was, of course, correct. He enjoyed being right even when the situation was less than ideal. Almost everyone in the Resistance was called into the largest room the base had later that day with General Organa, Admirals Ackbar and Statura, and Poe and Finn up at the front by the holographic projector. Hux had found himself a spot towards the back where he could still see but was out of the way and Ben had grumpily been pulled towards the front by his mother. Surprisingly, Tycho had elected to stand beside him, greeting him with a nod and a smile. Hux had decided not to question why the Alderaanian wasn’t up front with the rest of Resistance leadership.

The briefing went about as he’d expected. Starkiller Base was a weapon that was larger and more dangerous than the Death Star because of course it was. And of course the Resistance’s plan was to send in starfighters and a small ground team to take down the shields. 

“Why no capital ships?” Hux murmured. “We’re leaving the x-wings unprotected?”

“We have very few ships that could go toe to toe with a Star Destroyer and most of those are away,” Tycho replied in an equally quiet manner. 

“What about Antilles’ fleet?”

“Leia wants them kept out of this.”

Hux had no response for that. There wasn't one necessary. Far too much of this was above his level and he doubted his contrary opinion would be welcomed. Somehow, he even managed to bite his tongue and say nothing when Ben volunteered to lead the ground team although he most definitely noticed that Tycho clenched his jaw when his daughter volunteered to fly the ship that would take them there. As much as he hated to admit it, it did make sense for Ben to lead the ground team especially since Kyla Ren would likely be there. No one else could go up against her and live. That didn't mean he had to like it. 

What sent a gasp around the room was when Leia announced that D’Qar was the First Order’s next target. “How did they find us?” Hux wondered aloud. 

“They must have tracked Wexley back here,” Tycho responded tightly. 

“Fantastic,” Hux said. “So now we may be the next Hosnian Prime.” 

“Perhaps.”

“And there are no plans to evacuate?”

“None that I’ve heard.”

“I see.”

“It wasn’t my decision.”

Leia dismissed the meeting, sending everyone to their ships and assignments. Tycho excused himself, making a beeline for Larissa while Hux lingered behind. His particular assignment at the moment wasn’t exactly pressing and it made more sense to stay out of the way, letting everyone who had one scramble to get there. Instead, he caught sight of Kalin and made his way towards her, asking without preamble, “Has there been any word yet?”

Kalin was in the process of shaking her head when Leia appeared from nowhere, face somber. With a glance downwards, she bit her lip before meeting the older woman’s eyes. “It’s about Korrie, isn't it?” 

“Yes,” Leia said frankly, clearly sensing there was no way to soften the blow. “We got confirmation a little while ago… she was preparing to address the Senate when it happened.”

“I… Okay,” Kalin said, clearly shaken by the news despite having feared the worst. She took a deep breath before continuing, “Thank you… thank you for letting me know, ma’am. I…” Her shoulders started to shake and Leia had already pulled her into a tight hug as she began to cry. 

Hux hung back, not knowing how to respond to any of this. It was a situation he’d never been in before. How did one comfort someone over the death of another? A surge of gratefulness overtook him that Leia was there. The news made the destruction of Hosnian Prime feel that much more real though. He hadn’t known Korr Sella well but she’d made Kalin happy and that alone would be cause enough to feel sorrow over her death. 

“I’m sorry, General,” Kalin said softly once her sobs began to subside. “I didn’t mean to--”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Leia said firmly, pulling back and making the younger woman look her in the eye. “It’s okay, Kalin. Not what happened but it’s okay to cry. I know that you loved her and she loved you too.”

“We’d talked,” Kalin said, wiping away her tears with the hem of her sleeve, “about after the war. We were going to go to Onderon and tour the palace ruins. Neither of us have ever been and--” She broke off abruptly again and looked as if she was about to cry again but instead took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be-- you knew her even longer than I did.”

Leia nodded, “I did but that was a different sort of love.” She placed both hands on either side of Kalin’s shoulders. “Now. We have to go on right now. We will mourn Korr and everyone else we’ve lost today but we have to survive first. We have to keep fighting and we have to win.”

Kalin nodded, determined expression at odds with her tear-stained face. “It’s what she would have wanted.”

“Good girl,” Leia said with a half smile. “Take whatever time you need first but then can you keep assisting Kaydel over in communications? She doesn’t have as much combat experience as you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kalin said with a sharp nod, turning to walk away. 

Hux locked eyes with her and she stopped beside him for a moment. He reached out and squeezed Kalin’s shoulder, doing his best to be reassuring despite not really knowing how. “Whatever you need,” he settled on saying, leaving it at that.

She managed a weak smile, covering his hand with hers for a moment. “Thanks, Hux,” Kalin said before dropping her hand and moving off, squaring her shoulders in a clear attempt to pull herself together.

As he prepared to return to his own work, Hux glanced back over at Leia. He was fairly sure that he was the only one who saw the general’s shoulders slump forward in a moment of defeat as the weight of yet another planet’s destruction seemed to finally fully hit her. She seemed to allow herself only that one second before straightening again. An Organa, quite clearly, endured. 

~

Calm. Ben couldn’t explain why but he felt calm. He really shouldn’t be feeling calm. They were all going to die unless he succeeded in his mission. Their mission. No pressure whatsoever. What could possibly go wrong? (They could die. All of them could die horribly while knowing they were about to die horribly.) And yet he was calm. 

Taking a deep breath, he readjusted the bracers on both forearms. He didn’t particularly like wearing them but they were made from cortosis ore which was one of the few real defenses against a lightsaber. It wasn’t like they’d save him from a lightsaber to the chest but they might help him deflect one and he really wanted to keep on living. 

He’d just finished adjusting his belt again when he noticed Hux walking up. He hid a wince and instead smiled lopsidedly at him. “Hey.”

“How soon until you leave?” Hux asked, foregoing any greeting.

“Soon,” Ben said. “Maybe another ten minutes?”

“I see.” 

There was something tense about Hux’s stance. Tenser than usual. Ben folded his arms across his chest. “So are you going to yell at me for doing this?”

“Why would I do that?”

He was taken back. “...because you usually do when you think I’m running headlong into trouble?”

“Well this time you’re flying into trouble,” Hux said dryly. “No, I simply came to wish you luck. I understand why you’re going and I’d be wasting my breath insisting that you refrain from doing so.”

Ben looked at him suspiciously. “You’re not sounding very you-like today.”

“This hasn’t been a normal day,” Hux countered. Instead, he reached out and tugged at Ben’s hands, pulling them down and then linking his own arms around his neck as he leaned forward and kissed him. This was most definitely not like him but Ben tried not to question it, returning the kiss eagerly. When their lips parted, Hux didn’t pull away, remaining there with their foreheads almost touching. “I need you to make it back here alive.”

“I will,” he whispered in reply.

“I mean it, Ben,” Hux said firmly. “I won’t have you dying on me today nor any other day. Not when you’ve made me fall in love with you.”

“I love you too. That not dying thing… is that an order?”

“Does it need to be?”

“...maybe.”

“Then yes, consider it an order, Ben Organa Solo,” Hux said firmly, stepping back as he did. “Come back alive or else I’ll kill you myself.”

Wisely, Ben decided not to ask about the logistics of killing someone who was already dead. “Come back alive, got it.”

“Hey Solo!” Ben turned to see Finn waiting for him by the ship’s ramp. “You coming or not?”

“I gotta go,” he said apologetically, leaning forward and kissing Hux swiftly one last time. “I’ll see you soon.” Hux watched him leave, eyes slightly narrowed. “You’re really in that much of a hurry to get back there?” Ben asked the former stormtrooper as he drew closer.

Finn shrugged. “Not really but if we’re going to die trying to blow this thing up, I’d rather get it over with.”

“We’re not allowed to die,” Ben informed him as they walked into the ship, the ramp raising behind them. “I have orders.”

“Right.” Finn nodded towards the direction he’d come from. “Was that your boyfriend?”

“Yeah,” Ben replied simply before walking past him and straight towards the cockpit. He slid into the empty copilot seat, glancing over at Larissa. “So we’re doing this?”

“Yep,” Larissa replied, hands flying across the controls as she completed the preflight check. 

“How mad was your dad?”

She shrugged. “I wouldn’t say mad. More like worried since this might be a one way trip.”

“It’s not going to be,” Ben said firmly.

“I know that and you know that,” Larissa said, “and Dad knows that but he’s still, you know, my dad. He just said that he didn’t want me to go. I explained to him that I had the best shot of getting everyone down to the ground on Starkiller and back out again and that he knows that no one else can make a freighter dance like I can so it has to be me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “On freighters? I bet I can give you a run for your credits.”

“And that’s why you’re my copilot. Finish those last two precheck items for me?”

He grinned. “Yes, Captain.”

Ben definitely wasn’t grinning about an hour later when they came out of hyperspace far too close to Starkiller Base. Far. Too. Close. “ _ Have you lost your kriffing mind _ ?”

“You didn’t want them to detect us so they’re not going to detect us,” Larissa said through gritted teeth, wrestling with the freighter’s controls. “Check our shields.”

He scrambled to smack the right buttons, bringing the display up. “They’re fine. Mostly. Nine hells, Rissa! Even Dad’s not this crazy.”

“Will you shut up?”

Given that she was currently trying to make sure that they didn’t die, Ben wisely chose to shut up. 

The ship finally slid to a halt in the snow and Larissa waited a long ten seconds before exhaling and uncurling her hands from the controls. She turned towards him, brushing wayward blonde hair from her face and grinning. “See? I told you we’d be fine.” Ben made a face and she stuck her tongue out. “Whatever. You couldn’t have done better. Just go blow the shields up already.” 

“Sure, leave me the hard job,” he muttered as he made his way back towards the cargo hold where the rest of their small team was double checking their weapons. Not for the first time, he wondered why the hell they were going in with just four people but there was nothing to be done about it now. 

“Are all Resistance pilots this insane or have I just flown with all the crazy ones?” Finn asked with a shake of his head.

“You’ve flown with two of the craziest ones,” Ben answered with a smirk.

A moment later, one of the pilots in question smacked the back of his head. “Watch it, Solo.”

“The only person crazier than you or Poe is Dad.”

“True,” Larissa admitted with a shrug before her expression turned serious. “I’m keeping my comlink handy. When you need an extraction, call me. I’m keeping the engines on this baby warm.”

Finn frowned. “You’re not coming with us?”

She shook her head. “I’m the pilot.”

One of their two commandos clapped the former stormtrooper on the shoulder. “It’s just how we do things in the Resistance. You get used to it. Mostly.”

“Come on, let’s go,” Ben said abruptly, shouldering his own bag of explosives. Each of them carried one as a redundancy. Without another word, the rest of the team followed him out of the ship into the frigid air of Starkiller. He was grateful that Finn had warned them so they could dress appropriately. Part of him wished that there had been more time so he could have gotten a different team together. Del Zione and Soryn Task had both been with him on the ground during the Battle of Tieos but he didn’t really know them. Not like he’d known the Starfarers back during their time on the  _ Adamant _ . He always felt better when he had people he knew watching his back but they had to go save the galaxy and there wasn’t much choice given the time frame.

They’d slogged through the snow and made it inside the base before Soryn asked, “So Finn, where do we go from here?” 

The former stormtrooper looked nervous. Ben didn’t blame him. He’d be nervous too if he’d finally left a group that had kidnapped him as a kid and made him into a soldier without any choice only to return there days later. He was putting on a good front though. Finn squared his shoulders before saying, “We have to find Captain Phasma.”

“How do we know which one’s him?” Del asked, still shivering from the cold they’d left behind.

“Her,” Finn corrected him. “And trust me, you’ll know. No one else is that shiny.”

It became very clear exactly what Finn meant by shiny not much later.

Obviously this Phasma had dealt with Kyla Ren before because while she didn’t seem terribly phased by the lightsaber at her throat, she most definitely respected it. She didn’t flinch a muscle, not even as Finn got right up in her face. “Remember me?”

“FN-2187.”

Finn looked positively gleeful as he exclaimed, “Not anymore! The name’s Finn and I’m in charge now, Phasma. I’m in charge!” Out of the trooper’s sight, Ben rolled his eyes, feeling far too much like his boyfriend at that exact moment. Finn leaned back. “Sorry.”

“Why are you here?” Phasma asked in that aristocratic accent long associated with the Imperial elite.

“Because we’re going to destroy this weapon and you’re going to help us.”

“Am I?”

“Yeah.” Finn’s confidence was clearly growing. “You’re going to sit there and lower the Starkiller’s shields.”

“I most certainly will not.”

“You will or I’ll cut your head off,” Ben said, lower his voice in a way that he knew had come off as menacing in the past. 

He was fairly sure that the sound that emerged from her helmet was a derisive snort. “You wouldn’t. You’re a Jedi.”

“Try me,” Ben said simply, raising his lightsaber a little higher. 

“And if he doesn’t, these blasters work pretty well,” Del said. “And I think Finn really wants to shoot you.”

There was silence for a moment before she seemed to relent and began punching in the proper sequence. “You’re making a big mistake.” Ben deactivated his lightsaber and stepped back, glancing towards the door every now and then. A part of him worried that he was putting this mission in danger just by his mere presence. Kyla must have sensed him by now but if he hadn’t come along, they’d be defenseless against her. “You can’t be so stupid as to think this will be easy,” Phasma said. “My troops will storm this block and kill you all.”

“They’ll try,” Ben retorted. “Finn, where can we dump her?”

The other man smirked. “I’ve got a few ideas.”

“Good. Soryn; can you find the best places to set explosives?”

“Already on it,” Soryn said, having pushed past Phasma to get to the console. Finn and Del left, dragging Phasma between them which left Ben mostly alone with his growing sense of unease. He  _ hated _ the Force sometimes. Before he could tell her to hurry up, Soryn shoved her chair back and showed him a datapad. “We’re right by the oscillator so we should be able to help Poe’s group. There are weaknesses here, here, here, and here.”

Ben nodded. “Okay so we each take two then and go in teams. You and Del take the first two and Finn and I will take the second two.”

She shrugged. “Works for me.” 

He tossed the datapad to Finn as he and Del walked back in the room, the other man just barely catching it. “Come on, let’s go blow some things up. We’ve got the second two. Meet back at the ship when we’re all done.” 

“We all have to go this way first,” Soryn said, jerking her head in the right direction and leading them. Ben brought up the rear as they wound their way back out of the base and towards the oscillator, trying to stay out of the way of all patrols. He could hear the familiar roar of x-wing engines overhead as they moved between the two buildings. It was impossible to tell how much progress they’d made but given that they were still alive… probably not much. They needed to hurry. 

The next second, he almost ran smack into Finn’s back. “What the--”

“Kyla Ren,” Finn said tensely, holding his blaster at the ready. The lone black-clad figure stood between them and the oscillator facility, lightsaber in hand with only one end lit. 

“Finally,” Ben said with a sigh, shouldering his way forward and passing his bag of explosives to Finn without looking. “Go around. I’ll handle her.”

“But--” Finn started to object before Del grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

Ben didn’t watch them go. He couldn’t spare the attention. Instead, he reached for his lightsaber but paused as the Force directed his hand several inches over towards the other hilt. Deliberately, he pulled Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber from his belt and ignited it, the blue blade almost blending in with the snow around them even as the light faded. “I was wondering when you’d find me.”

She ignored any niceties. “That lightsaber. It’s not yours.”

“Yeah, I was getting bored with green,” Ben said as nonchalantly as he could manage. “Blue’s just so more classic, you know?”

Even several meters away, he could see Kyla tense. “How did you get it?”

He shrugged, taking a few steps forward. “An old friend. Why don’t you take that mask off?”

“Why?”

“It’s not like you need it.”

“What do you think you’ll see?” Kyla sounded almost amused.

“The face of my family,” Ben responded, moving closer still. 

She didn’t respond for a long moment before returning her lightsaber to her belt and pulling her helmet off, letting it drop soundlessly into the snow. “Was this what you wanted, Ben?” Rey asked, voice strange to hear after so many years and without the modulator for once.

“Yes,” he replied simply. 

For an awkwardly long time, they stared at each other; brown eyes locked with brown eyes. He’d seen her face several months ago but something about right now felt different. Without the mask, without the fever of combat, she just looked like the nineteen year old girl he’d grown up with. The girl who had snapped when they’d learned the truth about Darth Vader. Almost like the girl he’d known before they’d realized that Snoke had been influencing her for years without anyone knowing. 

“Come home,” Ben said, his voice cracking with emotion. “Leave all of this and come home with me and we can find Uncle Luke together.”

“I can’t,” she said quietly, almost too quietly for him to hear her. “It’s too late for that.”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

Rey ignored him. “Are you here to kill me?”

“What?” He was so taken back that he physically recoiled. “No.”

“Then why are you here, Ben?”

“Because you have to be stopped. All of the First Order has to be stopped. How could you--” Ben shook his head. “I know you felt it too. Starkiller killed billions of people.  _ I know you felt it _ .”

She stared at him for another few seconds before shaking her head as if to clear it. “It was of no consequence. The lightsaber. How did you get it?”

“The-- what does it matter?” he exclaimed angrily. “It’s just a stupid lightsaber.”

“Then give it to me,” Kyla said, extending a hand. He could feel her tugging at it with the Force. “That lightsaber was my father’s, not yours.”

Ben gritted his teeth and  _ pulled _ back with the Force. “No. You don’t deserve it. Not after what you’ve done.”

“Why deserve what you can take?” she asked rhetorically. That was all the warning he got before she leapt towards him, both ends of her lightsaber blazing. Ben had to scramble backwards, just barely able to block her onslaught. Another step backwards gave him just enough time to retrieve his own lightsaber from his belt, taking whatever advantage he could get. As the planet began to darken at an unnaturally fast rate, the lightsabers became one of their only sources of illumination, green, blue, and red casting a strange glow in the snow. There was something even more intense about how she fought this time. Even with two lightsabers, he struggled to keep up. She was driven like Snoke himself was there, egging her on. Maybe he was; still whispering in her ear. 

He was going to train with both lightsabers, Ben promised himself, assuming he made it off Starkiller alive. It was somewhat easier to counter both ends of Kyla’s lightsaber yet he still faltered on occasion, unfamiliar with the feel of a lightsaber in either hand. 

Kyla swung at him and he caught her blade with both of his and pressed down, forcing her to one knee. “Yield,” he hissed.

“No!” Kyla snapped back, gritting her teeth from the strain. 

“Don’t make me--” He never got to finish the sentence as multiple explosions from the oscillator startled them both and shook the ground beneath their feet, throwing them off balance. Kyla took advantage, turning off her saber and rolling out of reach. The opposing force lost, Ben overbalanced and stumbled forward, just barely catching himself. 

The explosions. There had been multiple across the oscillator… it couldn’t have been some lucky shots from the starfighters. Not even Rogue Squadron was that good. Finn, Del, and Soryn must have completed their mission. That meant… silently, he pleaded with the Force that Larissa would be savvy enough to come pick them up. All of them. He didn’t want to think about how this duel might play out if she didn’t. 

It wasn’t hard to figure out what the explosions meant and Rey had always been more technically minded than him. “You… you’ve been trying to distract me.”

Ben shrugged and gave her one of his best lopsided smiles. “It worked.”

He was ready this time when she attacked again with renewed vigor. The fight wasn’t seeming to tire her out but rather rejuvenate her as she used the dark side and fed on her anger. It was still strange. He’d always been the angry one even when they were children. That didn’t matter now. Fury was written across her face as she swung her lightsaber at him with speed and more than a fair bit of grace. Ben countered each blow, never giving back ground as he used his height and strength as much to his advantage as he could. 

It was most certainly, however, with relief that he finally glanced up and saw the freighter rapidly approaching from the distance. If he squinted, he could just make out that the boarding ramp was extended. With all the subtlety he could manage, he returned his lightsaber to his belt, acting as if the toll of using two blades was too much for him. 

Kyla smirked, thinking she had the advantage. “You should yield.”

“You need to get off this planet.”

“Why?”

“You know why,” Ben said, rolling his eyes. The ship was almost there, she must have heard it by now. There was no way she hadn’t-- Kyla glanced over as the hum of the engines became too much to ignore and he took advantage of the distraction to land a strong kick to her abdomen, knocking her backwards into the snow. “Find yourself a ship, Kyla. This one’s mine” he said, taking a running leap and launching himself into the air towards the freighter with the help of the Force. Finn was at the bottom of the boarding ramp, clutching one of the hydraulic supports with his other hand extended out. Ben reached for it, grateful for that last little bit of help. 

“I’ve got him, let’s go!” Finn yelled over his shoulder.

The last thing Ben saw as they pulled away from Starkiller Base was the rage on Kyla’s face as he escaped once more, their disagreement still not resolved.

“Solo, come on,” Finn said, tapping his arm. 

Shaken out of his thoughts, Ben hastened the rest of the way into the ship, slapping the ramp controls once they were both inside. “Better strap in,” he yelled over his shoulder, running towards the cockpit and sliding into the copilot seat. “Thanks for the lift, Rissa.”

Larissa nodded in response, too busy to bother with a quip. “Start shooting.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. Even though the battle around Starkiller had been raging for far too long, there were still targets aplenty as Larissa expertly piloted them free from the planet’s atmosphere, making the freighter dance like she’d forgotten that she wasn’t flying an x-wing. There was more than one time where he sucked his breath in because he was positive that there was no way the ship would fit through that opening only to let it out again when they weren’t smashed. 

He wasn’t sure how long it had been when he felt Starkiller explode more than he saw it and Larissa let out a little whoop of joy, one that was echoed across their comms by the surviving starfighter pilots. Almost as one, the remaining TIE pilots turned and fled, clearly realizing there was no point in staying when everything they were protecting was now in very tiny pieces.

“Nice flying,” Ben said with a grin, reaching out and hitting her lightly in the arm.

“Thanks,” Larissa said with a similar expression on her face, adrenaline still pumping. “That shot Poe made… I don’t know how he pulled it off. Not with all of the TIEs around.”

Ben shrugged. He hadn’t been paying attention. Instead, he half shut his eyes and reached out with the Force, searching for a presence. Within moments, he found it; the aura of anger almost glowing. He allowed himself one quiet sigh of relief that she had survived. It felt wrong to be glad an enemy had survived but… Kyla was still family no matter what she called herself.

“ _ Let’s go home _ ,” he heard Poe say over the comms.

“Yeah,” Ben repeated. “Let’s go home.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. And that gets us through TFA thankfully. With apologies to Finn who had way less of a hero role because Ben was there to face Kyla and who is trickier to write than I expected.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Ben abuses the word stupid.

They’d survived. Hux was reluctant to call their success that day a win but there was no denying that the Resistance taken the high ground in this particular game of dejarik. If nothing else, most of the base had spent the previous night celebrating like they’d won the war in one fell swoop. The rest… the rest were those who’d lost someone on Hosnian Prime. He still didn’t know to help Kalin. He wasn’t even sure that there was anything he  _ could _ do to help. Love was something he’d only recently come to understand and loss was still rather foreign.

On the other hand, he’d had absolutely no trouble understanding why he’d thrown his usual sensibilities to the wind and kissed Ben in full view of the entire Resistance once his feet hit solid ground. “You’ve returned,” he whispered once they parted.

“I had orders to come back alive,” Ben’d replied cheekily before his mother had pulled him away into a relieved hug. Hux hadn’t objected and had even wormed his way back out of the mass as more people crowded into the normally spacious landing field to congratulate the ground team and the pilots on a job well done. He’d known exactly where Ben would end up once the celebrations started in earnest and had delightfully not been proven wrong. They both highly preferred their own private celebration where clothes were most certainly not required. 

Hux had pressed Ben up against the door almost before it had closed, kissing him hard and fast. There was no power in the galaxy that could make him admit it but he  _ needed _ to know the Jedi was there and alive. He’d stripped him slowly and deliberately, starting with what little armor he wore and continuing until he was wearing little more than his trousers and then not even those. Ben hadn’t voiced a sound of complaint except for when Hux took too long between touches and kisses. He’d most certainly had no cause for complaint once they’d finally fallen into bed together. Time had stopped having meaning by the time they’d collapsed against each other, limbs entwined as they’d drifted off to sleep. 

He didn’t know what time it was except that the hour was likely still early. The base felt too quiet for it to be past dawn yet. Hux shifted, trying not to wake Ben up as he freed his numb arm from beneath him so that he can instead run his fingers through his dark, unruly hair. 

“What are you thinking about?” Ben asked, voice still muffled with sleep.

“You,” Hux answered truthfully.

Ben turned his face upwards and smirked. “Good.” Hux raised an eyebrow. “Good that you’re not thinking about another guy.”

“You have my complete and utter attention,” Hux promised, temporarily resisting the urge to kiss him again. “Or do you require another demonstration?” 

“I’m not awake enough,” Ben admitted.

“Then go back to sleep.”

“No it’s okay.” There was a pause. “So what about me?”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“You say that a lot. So what about me?’

“That I’m glad you’re alive.”

“I’m glad we’re both alive.”

“Yes,” Hux agreed, his thoughts once again returning to Kalin and the look of pure anguish on her face when Leia had confirmed Korr Sella’s death. It was one he never wanted to share. 

“How is she?” Ben asked. “And no I wasn't snooping. You’re just thinking loud again.”

Hux shrugged, the gesture difficult with Ben half on top of him. “I don't know. There hasn't been much opportunity to talk.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. “You don't know what to say, do you?”

Hux flushed. “And I suppose that you do know what to say to someone whose girlfriend was lost during planetary genocide?”

“Yeah actually. Mom’s from Alderaan, remember?”

“That was before you were born.” 

“Alderaanians have a long memory. What’s left of them anyways.” Hux inclined his head, conceding the point and Ben leaned up to kiss him for a moment. “I’ll see if I can find her before I leave.”

He frowned. “Leave?”

With a sigh, Ben rolled onto his back. “Yeah. I mean. Probably. Finn kind of spilled the beans on Poe’s mission. If Mom and the First Order have both been searching for Uncle Luke, that means we need to find him which means I need to go.”

“I thought the data from BB-8 was incomplete.”

“How’d you hear that?”

“I’ve been working with Intelligence the last two times you’ve been gone.”

“Liselle or Myri?”

“Myri.”

Ben made a face. “That means we need the rest of it then. I hate hunting for things.” 

“I think we both have had enough of that for the rest of our lives already,” Hux said dryly. 

“Worked out pretty well though, right?”

“Are you fishing for compliments again?”

“Something like that,” Ben said, reaching for him, slipping down beneath the blankets, and cutting off any further conversation.

They were both tired but content much later that morning when they arrived together at Leia’s control room. Leia, Poe, Finn, Tycho, and Cracken were all gathered around the console and looking up at a map of the galaxy with a hyperspace route plotted.  There wasn’t even a chance to exchange pleasantries before Ben exclaimed, “Artoo!” and ran over to the squat blue and white astromech. The droid beeped cheerfully in greeting, shifting from side to side. Ben patted the droid happily on the dome and then spun around to face his mother. “When did he wake up?”

Leia shrugged. “Sometime after Poe and BB-8 brought us the map from Lor San Tekka.”

“But now we have it,” Poe breathed, staring at the holographic map with wonder. “The map to the first Jedi temple and Luke Skywalker.”

“I’m going,” Ben declared.

Poe frowned. “Buddy, this has been my--”

“Is he your uncle?” Ben interrupted.

“No but--”

“Exactly.”

Hux reached out and grabbed Ben’s upper arm and murmured, “Easy, darling.”

Ben took in a deep breath and let it out before speaking again. “Uncle Luke left for a reason. He’s not going to come back just because some pilot he’s never met asks. It has to be me or it has to be Mom and she’s kind of busy being leader of the galaxy right now.”

Poe glanced between Ben and Leia before backing down and shrugging. “That’s fine by me. I’m happier flying with Black Squadron anyways.”

Ben turn towards Leia and raised both eyebrows expectantly and she in turn looked at both Cracken and Tycho. The former just shrugged while the latter nodded and said, “It does make sense, Leia. We need you here.”

“I’ll find him, Mom,” Ben promised fervently, dark eyes intense. “And I’ll bring him back here no matter what.”

Leia held Ben’s gaze for a few long seconds before sighing. “Fine. But I can only give you a ship. I can’t spare anyone else or even an escort during the evacuation.”

“What about Artoo?”

Her expression softened. “Of course you can take Artoo.”

Hux cleared his throat. “Ma’am? We’re finally evacuating D’Qar?”

“Yes, they know we’re here,” she said. “We can’t linger much longer and yes I know you think we should have left already.”

Suitably embarrassed by his transparency, Hux cleared his throat and looked down. “I’m at your disposal, General.” 

“Good,” Leia said. “I have an assignment for you.”

As they talked, Hux noticed that Ben’s face fell and it made him wonder whether he’d planned to ask Hux to accompany him to wherever Luke Skywalker was. In more ways than one, Hux was relieved to have a preemptive reason not to go. Over the years, he’d heard bits and pieces about the events that had driven Luke Skywalker into exile and he was more than happy to have an excuse to avoid becoming entangled in that particular reunion. Just because he loved an Organa Solo didn’t mean he wanted any part of their family drama especially when it usually had galatic repercussions. 

“So when can I leave?” Ben finally broke in. 

It was Hux’s turn to frown ever so slightly. This was all beginning to feel like a pattern, even more so than it had been during their Operation Apate days: Ben would leave on a mission and he would remain behind. At least this time, the chances of Ben running headlong into danger were relatively low but that was never a guarantee with him.

“I’ll have the hanger chief start prepping a ship now.”

~

Ahch-to was a stupid planet and the first Jedi had been just as stupid to build their first temples there. It had taken Ben all of twenty minutes to arrive at that conclusion. There hadn’t been many places to land the ship to start with and if the Force was right, his uncle was on the other side of this island and was staying put. Luke must have sensed his presence on world by now. There was no way he hadn’t. 

Fine. He’d just walk across the stupid island and up all of its stupid hills. See if he cared.

It turned out he definitely cared. At least the hike gave him a good chance to practice every Corellian swear word he knew along with those in seven other languages. Han hadn’t meant to teach him the more unsavory parts of galactic languages but it had happened anyways. The long walk also gave him ample opportunity to continue the debate he’d had with himself the entire flight to Ahch-to: what the hell was he going to say? (Artoo had been no help whatsoever.)

By the time he reached the last peak, he thought he had a plan. Something short yet impactful was probably the best way to go.  _ He had a plan _ .

That plan fled all the way to the Outer Rim when he finally rounded one last turn and caught sight of the unassuming figure sitting by the fire, hood up and lost in meditation. “Hi,” Ben managed to say, voice sliding into that deeper register like it did sometimes when he was uncomfortable.

Luke Skywalker slowly yet deliberately looked up, hands raising to lower his hood. “Ben. It’s been awhile.”

Something inside of him snapped. “It’s been awhile? Are you kidding me?” Ben marched over, hands gesturing wildly, enraged. “Rey falls to the dark side, murders dozens of people, almost kills both of us, and instead of sticking around and trying to help fix things, you just leave! You leave and you leave me and you leave Mom to try and fix everything and then you don’t come back even when Kyla Ren starts stomping around the galaxy and the First Order stomps right behind her and then blows up freaking Hosnian Prime! You left everything to just run away and sit on this stupid planet and avoid all of your responsibilities and all you can say to me is “it’s been awhile”?”

The Jedi Master winced at his tirade but only gestured to a place on the opposite side of the fire. “Why don’t you sit down, Ben?”

“Why?”

“So we can talk.” For a minute, Ben thought about refusing just for the sake of refusing but then dropped like a sack of meilooruns to sit across from his uncle. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” Luke said. “I have several for you. Where would you like to start?”

“Why?” Ben repeated flatly. “Why did you leave us?”

Luke leaned back. “That’s a complicated story.”

“Try me.”

“After everything that happened that day, I knew that I had failed. Something had gone wrong and as Rey’s father and Jedi master, that fault lay with me. I had no business instructing anyone until I figured out precisely what had happened.”

“We know what went wrong,” Ben interrupted. “Snoke.”

Luke raised a greying eyebrow. “Do we though?”

He spread his hands in a gesture that was both sarcastic and frustrated. “Yeah. Pretty sure.”

“I wasn’t sure. I’m still not,” his uncle continued. “So I looked through all of Palpatine’s secret archives on the Jedi or at least what was left but there was nothing there, no  _ reason _ why apprentices fell to the dark side. I needed to keep looking and go further back to the days when the Sith weren’t in hiding but for that, I couldn’t stay. I had to--”

“--find the first Jedi Temple,” Ben interrupted. “Yeah, I know. You found it so why didn’t you come back?”

“I thought it was best that I stay away,” Luke said simply. 

“Kyla Ren and the First Order are stomping around the galaxy, trying to destroy the Republic, and blowing up entire solar systems and you’re just going to sit here?”

Luke didn’t say anything for a minute before he finally asked, “Who is Kyla Ren?”

Ben was taken back. “What?”

“Who is Kyla Ren?”

“You don’t know?” Luke shook his head and Ben exclaimed, “How do you not know?” 

“You’re the first person I’ve seen in years, Ben.”

Anger began brewing within him again despite his best efforts to clamp it down and he sprang to his feet. “ _ Kyla Ren _ is the stupid name Rey gave herself so she can do whatever the hell it is Snoke wants to the galaxy without anyone knowing she’s really a Skywalker even though she’s wearing this stupid mask and robes that make her look like a Vader-groupie so maybe everyone does know except for you because you’ve been sitting here doing nothing!” The sound of rocks dropping back to the ground punctuated his words and he almost jumped at the noise. He hadn’t even realized he’d been using the Force like that. It’d been awhile since he’d slipped up like that.

“I see,” Luke said after a long minute of silence. “And you know that this Kyla Ren is Rey for sure?”

He nodded. “I’ve fought her. I’ve seen her face. It’s Rey.”

With all deliberation, Luke slowly rose to his feet. “Then all of this only confirms what I suspected before. It’s time for the Jedi to end.”

~

After such a long time on planet, it felt odd to be living on a ship again but Hux found that he adapted to the life again rather quickly. He liked the silence of space. It was, ironically enough, grounding. 

The Resistance had no home yet except for aboard a score of capital ships. They were in tight quarters for the most part but that was expected to change once the entire fleet was reunited, both Resistance and Republic. Hux was in quarters usually intended for a captain but felt grateful to have them to himself for the time being. Whoever had pulled together the original assignment roster had clearly assumed Ben would be returning soon given his lack of roommate. 

The hallways were more crowded than those of the  _ Adamant _ had been but he found it relatively easy to ignore, more so than it had been back on D’Qar. It simply required paying attention as he wound his way through the corridors towards Leia’s office instead of reading a file on his datapad.

Leia looked up from her datapad as she heard his knock. “Hux, good. You’re right on time.”

“You asked to see me, General?” he said, falling into his comfortable military stance and nodding in greeting to Cracken who sat in front of her. 

“I did, yes. Take a seat.” She waited for him to comply before continuing. “I’d like you to sit down with Finn and debrief him on his experiences with the First Order. I suspect he’ll be able to provide us with some insight.”

“I’m hardly an interrogation expert,” Hux pointed out.

Leia shook her head. “This isn’t intended to be one.”

“Even if I think it should be,” Cracken added with his usual gruff tone.

“We’re not the Empire or the First Order. We welcome defectors.”

Hux didn’t flinch as Leia looked at him pointedly. “If this Finn really was a stormtrooper, I may not be the wisest choice to conduct this debriefing if he knows who my father was.”

“Your First Order history is precisely why I’d like you to conduct this debriefing,” she said.

“One of my agents will be there with you,” Cracken said.

“Who?”

“I won’t ruin the surprise.”

Mentally, Hux rolled his eyes. Intelligence types. They all thought they were so clever and had the oddest senses of humor. He supposed that line of work attracted a very specific sort. “Am I to assume you would like this conducted today?” 

Leia handed him a datacard. “This morning actually and I’d like your report by tomorrow if at all possible.”

“Understood, ma’am. You’ll have it first thing.” Hux rose to his feet, tucking the datacard into a pocket. He turned to leave and then hesitated. “Am I to understand this assignment as an indication that I’ve been fully returned to active duty?”

“As far as I’m concerned, you have been since before we left D’Qar.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He saluted smartly, waiting just long enough for both generals to return it before turning to leave. Despite the danger, he started reading through the datacard as he headed down several decks and across the ship towards the section Intelligence had claimed for themselves. Thankfully, Leia seemed to have ensured that everyone she might need was on the same ship as her so there was no need to deal with the logistical mess of finding a way to transfer ships.

His head was still down as he continued reading through the information as he walked into the designated briefing room. “You’re late, Colonel.”

“How could I possibly be late when there was no specified time?” Hux asked peevishly before actually looking up to see the speaker. “Ah. Liselle.”

“Hey Hux,” Liselle Afyon greeted him with a smile. “It’s been awhile.”

“Too long,” Hux said emphatically, reaching out to shake her hand. “I didn’t realize you’d returned from your last mission.”

She shrugged. “General’s orders said to come home so here I am although,” she glanced around at the ship walls, “I never actually made it back to D’Qar.”

“You didn’t miss much. Only chaos.”

“I bet. Is Ben onboard too?”

Hux shook his head. “That’s… a long story.” She simply nodded, accepting his deflection. “And you… was your uhh family…?”

“Nowhere near the system,” Liselle finished for him.

It was then that it finally occurred to Hux that he had no idea whether Alys would have been posted on Starkiller Base when it was destroyed. He’d likely never know. It was not a happy realization. 

Liselle cleared her throat and nodded towards the other room. “Shall we get to work?”

He nodded curtly. “Of course. You’ve read this?” Her only response was to raise an eyebrow. “Foolish question, I know.”

“Let me take the lead,” Liselle said. “I’ve got more experience at this than you do. When we go in there, don't introduce yourself. I want to wait and use that later.” 

Hux frowned. “General Organa indicated that this was a debriefing and not an interrogation.” 

Liselle shrugged. “She can call it whatever she wants. Come on.” 

Hux followed her into one of the attached rooms, noting that it looked more like a small briefing room than anything else. Finn sat in one of the chairs, drinking a cup of caf and making a face at the contents. 

“It’s not good but it gets the job done. We only get the good stuff with one of the nicer smugglers like Terrik or Karrde come by,” Liselle said apologetically with an easy smile as they took seats across from him. It still amazed him even after several years how she could transform herself so easily just with her posture and voice. “I’m Liselle, by the way.”

He reached out and shook her extended hand. “Finn. And I wouldn't know what good caf tastes like. They never let stormtroopers drink it.” 

“Then consider yourself lucky that you haven't developed an addiction to it yet like the rest of us. I don't think the pilots could fly ten meters without it.”

“Yeah Poe said something like that.” Finn set the cup down. “So you’re supposed to interrogate me about the First Order, right?” 

She shook her head, expression never wavering. “No, this is just a friendly chat. You’re our best source of information about what it’s like on the inside. It could help.”

Finn looked between them before shrugging. “So what do you want to know? I was just a stormtrooper; no one special. I don't know plans or launch codes or anything.” 

“That’s okay. You already helped us blow up Starkiller Base. Anything else you can tell us could help too.” 

“Right. Okay.” Finn took a deep breath before beginning. He went through his time as a part of the stormtrooper program starting as far back as he could remember and detailing the training they would put him and his squadmates through. Liselle and occasionally Hux interjected with a clarifying question but mostly they just let Finn talk. Every so often, he’d give Hux a funny look as if he should already know the answer but didn't raise any argument. 

Even though they were recording the entire session, Liselle made notes as they talked although how much of it was just for show, he wasn't sure. She gestured for Hux to ask something and so he cleared his throat. “And how successful would you say these reconditioning programs were?”

“Shouldn’t you know that?”

Hux frowned. “Pardon?”

“You really think I don't know?” Finn’s tone got sharp and he looked straight at him. “They did what they could to keep us stormtroopers from thinking or knowing too much but we paid attention. We had to if we wanted to live. We just had to pretend like we didn't. And you...you’re a Hux aren't you? His son? We always knew who ran the program. And you look too much like Major Hux not to be related to her.”

“I believe that my sister was a Lieutenant Colonel, the last I heard,” Hux said idly. 

“So you’re a Hux then.”

“I believe we’ve established that, yes.”

“You were just a myth in the stormtrooper ranks.”

“Oh?”

“The Admiral’s son who ran away to the New Republic? Yeah, that was a story that spread everywhere even though the instructors tried to stop it,” Finn said. “Most people didn't believe it.”

Liselle raised both eyebrows. “Did you?”

Finn just shrugged. 

“What made you say that Hux would know about the reconditioning programs?” 

He shrugged again, shifting uneasily. “Because that was the other story. That the Admiral had sent his son to infiltrate the New Republic and gain their trust.”

Hux didn't even have to look over to know that Liselle wanted him to remain silent. Instead, he settled for curling his hands into fists beneath the table and then slowly uncurling them. 

“That’s an interesting hypothetical,” Liselle said casually. “Almost as interesting of a hypothetical as the First Order sending a supposed defector to infiltrate the Resistance.” 

Finn was taken back. “What?”

“We were speaking in hypotheticals, no?”

“Yeah but…” Finn’s voice trailed off and he frowned. “Wait, do you think that I’m a spy?”

Liselle’s expression was disconcertingly blank. “Are you?”

“No!” Liselle didn’t respond. “I’m not! Poe helped me cut out my chip when we were still in space on our way to Takodana and Doctor Kalonia made sure I didn’t have another one once we got to the base!” 

“No one has suggested otherwise,” she said calmly, finally relenting. “Well perhaps one or two Intelligence types but it’s our job to be suspicious. But you never answered Colonel Hux’s question. Do you think the reconditioning programs were successful?” 

Finn leaned back in his seat. “I think so? No one was ever quite the same when they came back.” The rest of the interview proceeded mostly without issue as Finn seemed to relax again after a few minutes and tried to give them whatever information he could. Liselle didn't draw it out for much longer, clearly sensing that there wasn't much more they could learn from someone so low ranking. He pushed a datapad back towards them. “This is probably all old information by now but it’s as much as I remember. They didn’t really give us coordinates.”

“You’d be surprised by what could possibly assist,” Hux said, taking the datapad and looking through the information.

Liselle glanced over at it briefly before looking back at Finn. “I believe those are all of the questions we have for now.”

“Good because I don’t think I know anything else about  _ anything _ !” Finn said emphatically. 

“I’m sure that’s not true,” she said with a faint smile.

“Can I go then?” He was on his feet almost as soon as Liselle nodded, clearly eager to get out of the room. Finn was all the way to the door before he paused and looked back. “So… Which one’s true?”

Hux didn't need to ask for clarification. “The first one. I wouldn't have killed him if I’d been spying for him.” Finn choked on air but didn't ask for clarification and left without another word. Hux waited a minute before speaking again. “Well. That was less productive than one would have hoped.”

“I think it’s about what we could have expected,” Liselle countered, scrolling back up through some of her notes which appeared to not have been entirely for show. “We already knew he wouldn’t know what a captain or even a lieutenant might have.”

“I did say hoped.”

“I know.”

There was silence between them again for a minute before Hux broke it. “That nonsense about my departure from the First Order…”

“Not nonsense.” 

“Well I find it nonsense.”

Liselle arched a blonde eyebrow at him but thankfully did not press. “I’ll start working on the initial report and you’ll have it shortly for your input and review.”

Hux never failed to appreciate her ability to say something without actually saying it. “Thank you.” She didn’t respond verbally, merely nodding and collecting the rest of her things. Hux lingered for a few moments more, trying to push the talk of his father back out his mind. It would do nobody any good especially himself. In the meantime, he had work to do. Liselle was painfully thorough but it never hurt to begin pulling together his own notes now. 

~

Some time had passed since Luke’s shocking declaration and Ben still wasn’t any closer to getting over it. He’d followed his uncle into the cave he’d turned into a home and even accepted the hot cup of tea even though it smelled awful. (It did taste a little better than it smelled.) 

“You’re confused,” Luke said with a bemused look on his face.

Ben shook his head. “No, I’m angry.” Luke raised an eyebrow. “Okay yeah and confused. Why?”

“Because no good has come from the Jedi Order.”

“So this is your solution? Just run away and say it’s over?”

“It’s more complicated than that.” 

“No it’s not!” 

Ben and Luke stared at each other, locked in a battle of wills. The older man looked away first. “I don't know what you came here for, Ben, but I’m afraid that you’ll leave disappointed.”

“Actually, I’m going to leave with what I came here for  _ and _ be disappointed,” Ben countered with sarcasm worthy of his boyfriend. “I’m talented like that.”

Luke frowned. “I don't understand.”

“Mom’s had Poe Dameron searching for you for months now. I’m not going to go back there without you.”

“Poe Dameron? Shara Bey’s son?”

“Yeah.”

With a sigh, Luke shook his head. “What good does Leia think I can do?” 

“I don't know. Hey listen!” Ben exclaimed even as he saw Luke preparing to object. “You know how Mom is when she wants something done. She thinks you can help us win the war. I don't know if you can but I haven't been able to beat Kyla in a duel yet and the First Order already destroyed an entire system and I never want that to happen again. So yeah. If she thinks you can help, I’m going to bring you home from this stupid planet and I don't care if you like it or not.” 

Luke was silent for a long minute, long enough to make Ben shift awkwardly in his rustic seat. “Why do you call her Kyla?”

“Because she’s not Rey anymore.”

Silence hung between them again as did the name that neither of them wanted to say until Luke finally did. “We should have told you both about who Anakin was. Who Vader was. You shouldn’t have found out like you did.” Ben just drank more of his mediocre tea. “I didn’t mean to do to you what Obi-Wan did to me. If I go back… I don’t want to continue to be a part of that cycle.”

“So you’re going to break it by sitting here?” Ben made a face. “Yeah. Okay. That’s stupid. Pack your things. We’re leaving and going to the Resistance.”

“I didn’t agree to go back with you, Ben,” Luke pointed out mildly.

“I don’t care. I promised Mom I’d find you and bring you back.”

Shaking his head with a small smile, Luke rose to his feet, setting his own tea aside. “Whether either of you care to admit it, you really are your mother’s son. I’ll need only a few minutes.”

As soon as his uncle’s back was turned, Ben let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He’d talked a big game about being ready to drag Luke back to the Resistance kicking and screaming but he wasn’t really sure if he would’ve been able to. Sure he had the youth, strength, and height but Luke Skywalker was, well, Luke Skywalker. He didn’t want to find out if he could win in a fight.

None of that mattered though. He was going home and Luke was going with him. Wherever the hell home was now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is both sorta early and sorta late. We'll get back to Sunday updates with chapter 6 assuming I get my butt back in gear for writing. :p

Ben exhaled impatiently as he dropped the ship out of hyperspace, Artoo squealing at him as he did so more abruptly than the droid would have apparently preferred. “Do you want to fly this thing?” he snapped.

“You know, he’s not actually a bad pilot,” Luke said from the cockpit door. “He can make a starfighter dance if he puts his mind to it.”

“Yeah well…” Ben made another face, reaching across the console so he could hit the proper controls. 

Luke slid into the copilot seat. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“I can feel your unease through the Force.”

“The Force talks too much,” Ben grumbled, smacking the comms button. “ _ Home One _ , this is Ben Organa Solo, do you read me?”

There was only a moment of silence before the comms crackled. “ _ This is Home One, we read you. Send over your recognition codes immediately. _ ”

“Transmitting now,” Ben said, rolling his eyes as he hit send.

“Just like being back in the Rebellion,” Luke murmured too quietly for the comm system to pick up. 

“I bet.” 

They didn’t have to wait much longer before the woman on the other end of the connection returned.  _ “You’re cleared to land in the first hanger bay. Follow the beacon. And welcome back, Knight Organa Solo.” _

“Thanks,” Ben said, clicking the comms off before taking the controls and steering them towards the designated hanger. 

“Breath,” Luke said. “There’s no reason to be nervous.”

Ben snapped, “I’m not nervous. Why would I be?” His uncle didn’t respond. “Shouldn’t you be nervous?”

“I have the Force to guide me,” Luke said in that serene way that had driven Ben insane as a teenager. “Besides, Artoo will protect us both.”

Despite himself, Ben couldn’t help but snort with laughter and feel the tension slip away from his shoulders. It took only a few more minutes to land the ship in what he was fairly sure was usually the private hanger for the ship’s captain’s guests or in this case, the Resistance’s leader’s guests. Being Leia Organa’s son had its pains and its--his train of thought broke off abruptly as he caught sight of the group waiting for them through the viewport. “What the hell is Dad doing here?”

“You sound surprised.”

“Yeah because I am,” Ben said, disentangling himself from his crash restraints to stand. “He’s been really insistent that he doesn’t want to get involved in the war. He hasn’t been around in months.”

“Maybe Hosnian Prime changed his mind.”

“Maybe.” A glance over revealed that now it was Luke who looked a little bit nervous. A part of Ben was glad because he should be uneasy. Luke was the one who’d left all of them without a word and you weren’t supposed to do that to family. He should be feeling nervous about facing all of them again even if Leia would probably put on a good face for public. Unlucky for him: this didn’t count as public.

Artoo lead their little party down the boarding ramp, beeping and whistling happy and rolling right over to Threepio which was, Ben noticed, conveniently out of the way. So much for the little astromech protecting Luke. It wasn’t a large group waiting for them; just family. Both of his parents were present obviously but so were Chewbacca, Winter, and Hux although the latter looked like he felt very uncomfortable with the circumstances. It almost made Ben laugh. There was something about seeing Hux standing there amongst people that Ben considered family that tugged at his heart and made him happy. 

Ben went next, going straight to his parents. “Hey,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I uhhh found him.”

“Yeah,” Han said dryly, patting him on the back in greeting. “We can see that.” The smuggler raised his voice. “Nice of you to join us.”

As Luke walked slowly down the boarding ramp, Ben scooted out of the way to stand by Hux, reaching out and squeezing his boyfriend’s hand briefly in greeting. Neither one of them spoke though, both intent on the scene about to play out before them.

Leia broke the quiet first. “Luke,” she breathed before running forward to embrace her brother. Ben could count the number of times he’d seen his mother run like that on one hand. No one could quite hear what the siblings said as they hugged, only a few murmurs. 

It was at least a minute before Luke stepped back and cleared his throat. “Ben said you’ve been looking for me.”

“I wish I hadn’t had to,” Leia replied with only the barest hint of reproach in her voice. 

“I know,” Luke replied without apology before stepping back and turning towards the rest of the group. “Hi Han.”

“Hey kid,” Han said with a grin, clapping him on the shoulder. “Welcome back.”

Luke shook his head with a smile. “I think I’m a few decades past being a kid anymore.”

“That doesn't matter,” Han said, waving it off. “I’m just glad you’re back.”

Surprisingly, it was Chewbacca who snapped first. As Luke turned towards the wookiee, he frowned, hugged the Jedi, and then stepped back and launched into a loud and angry rant in Shyriiwook that left everyone who understood the language gaping soundlessly. Even Hux seemed to have picked up on the content from context clues alone. Ben had never heard Chewie talk like that never mind even that much… ever. The wookiee punctuated his statement with one last frustrated grumble before finally stopping.  No one did anything except look at the ground awkwardly and definitely not at Luke until finally Chewbacca reached out awkwardly and ruffled Luke’s hair and said something about him still being family. (Shyriiwook never translated easily.)

The gesture seemed to break and tension and Luke smiled apologetically. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn't have just left without saying anything.”

Seemingly calm again, Chewie pulled Luke into a tight hug, quietly grumbling again that it  _ was _ good to see him. 

“He’s right, kid,” Han said, thumbs hooked into his blaster belt. “We all lost family that day. You’re Rey’s dad but we all loved her. You should have stayed here with us instead of chasing after some legend.”

Luke didn’t say anything for a moment, looking between all of their faces silently. “I couldn’t stay but if I’d known what was happening, I would have come back sooner.”

Ben couldn’t help but roll his eyes and mutter so only Hux could hear him, “Yeah right. I had to drag him off that stupid planet.”

Leia seemed to be ahead of things. “Would you really?”

Luke took a deep breath and let it out again before saying, “No. Probably not but Ben was very persuasive.” 

The tension was close to becoming unbearable again when Winter stepped forward finally, reaching out to hug him which Luke gratefully returned with a kiss on the cheek. “We  _ are _ all happy to see you, Luke.”

“I’m glad to see you too,” he said, taking a step back. “How’s Tycho?”

“He’s well; off running a training session for some of these younger pilots. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you again as will all of the Rogues.”

“It’ll be good to see all of them again.” Luke turned towards Ben and Hux and raised an expectant eyebrow. 

Ben knew how to take a cue. “Uncle Luke, this is my boyfriend Hux.”

“Sir,” Hux greeted him stiffly, shaking the extended hand. 

“You can just call me Luke,” his uncle replied with a smile. “I haven't been in the military since before Ben was born.”

Hux’s only response was to nod and Ben has to bite back a laugh at how clearly uncomfortable his boyfriend felt. Sometimes he  _ almost _ forgot that Hux had spent most of his formative years in the First Order and then something like this would happen. 

Leia stepped in, laying a hand on her brother’s arm. “Let’s get you settled. I’ll have Kor--someone find you quarters. We’re a bit tight on space but we’ll figure something out. Now,” she guided him towards the door, “why don't you tell me about this Jedi Temple you found?”

As Leia, Luke, and Winter moved off, his father and Chewie remained behind. The wookiee pulled Ben into the sort of hug that only he could give, musing his hair. 

“I’m glad to see you too,” Ben replied, response a little muffled by fur. “I thought you were staying on Kashyyyk with your family.” 

“Blame your mom,” Han replied for them both, taking his turn to hug his son once Chewbacca had released him. “The First Order too, I guess, after what they did to Hosnian Prime. Guess this is what it took to get me involved in another war.” 

“Took you long enough,” Ben grumbled. “What’ve they got you doing? And where is the  _ Falcon _ ?”

Han rolled his eyes. “One bay over with the rest of the smugglers. Some moof milker didn't recognize us and shoved her in there.” 

“Does he still have his arms?” Chewbacca roared in protest. Ben spread his hands apologetically. “What? It’s a valid question!” 

“You live dangerously, kid,” Han said with a shake of his head. “Must’ve gotten that from both sides. Come on, Chewie. Let’s go check on her hyperdrive again.” 

The pair were already bickering back and forth before they hit the door. Finally Ben turned towards Hux and took advantage of being alone to kiss him properly which he enthusiastically returned. “Hi lover, did you miss me?” 

“You weren't gone that long,” Hux said dryly. 

“Yeah but you came down here to greet me. Or did you just want to see the legendary Luke Skywalker?”

“I just came here to see you,” Hux muttered, rolling his eyes. “You know I don't care to be mixed up in all of your family drama. I had quite enough of my own.” 

“You said you didn't want secrets,” Ben countered with a smirk. “This is what you get.”

“That’s what your father said, more or less.” 

“Dad’s smart like that sometimes. C’mon.” He grabbed Hux’s hand again. “Show me where the mess is on this ship.” 

“Shouldn't you know that?” Hux asked, pulling his hand free but leading the way anyways.

Ben didn't bother protesting. He hadn't actually expected Hux to be okay with holding his hand in public. It just wasn't his way. “I haven’t been on this kind of ship in years. But if you’re too busy…”

“No,” Hux replied quickly. “Not at all. Your mother hasn't had a chance to finish reviewing the report that Liselle and I submitted earlier.” 

“Liselle’s back too?” Ben asked with surprise. “Good. I thought the Cracken was going to keep her out on mission forever.”

“You spend too much time with Antilles. The spy one.”

“Probably,” Ben agreed easily. “So what did I miss?”

Hux sighed. “Not much, honestly. We left D’Qar about a day after you did and we’ve been in space ever since. I don’t know what General Organa’s plan is or if she even has a plan.”

“Mom’s never gone a day without a plan in her life.”

“This may be one of them.”

“Right.” Ben grimaced. He had a point. Leia Organa had survived her homeworld being destroyed but Alderaan hadn’t been the capitol and she hadn’t been the presumed leader of the galaxy. “Well… she’ll figure something out. We’ll figure something out.”

“I’m sure.” 

Hux didn’t sound particularly convinced but Ben didn’t feel like arguing with him about it. He’d spent way too much of his last few days arguing with his uncle. He was fairly sure that he was argued out. “So how long until you have to get back to work?”

“Mmm well usually, I’d say only a few hours but given that your long lost uncle just returned, I suspect that your mother will have other priorities that rank far higher than reviewing a report on the latest First Order traitor.”

“Then I have you to myself?”

“That would not be an inaccurate statement.”

“Good.”

~

There was no way around it: Hux had been a bad friend. By his own admission, he had perhaps three in the galaxy and Kalin was the one whose friendship he couldn’t bear losing and yet he hadn’t managed to bring himself to talk to her in her time of need. Even by his standards, it was bad.

This was a sudden realization that his brain finally arrived at when he rounded the corner in one of the few quiet areas of the ship and stumbled upon Kalin sitting on a crate with her head in arms. “I… uhh…”

Kalin’s head jerked up and she started to scramble to her feet. “Colonel, I--”

Immediately he gestured for her to sit. “No, don’t. I’ve intruded.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I was just--I had a--”

“There is nothing that you should be apologizing for.” After a moment’s hesitation, Hux sat on the crate beside her. “Actually, I’m the one who should be apologizing.”

“For what?” Kalin asked with a frown. 

“For not being there for you with everything that happened to Korr.”

His suspicions were confirmed as Kalin’s gaze dropped back down to the steel floor. Korr Sella was why she was sitting there. “It wasn't your fault,” Kalin said quietly. “It was the fault of whoever decided that it was okay to murder billions of people just to prove a point.”

“You’re right but…” he took a moment to consider his words. “In the past, you have been there for me as a friend when I’ve needed one. It would be wrong not to do the same for you given that I… care about you like I do for my sister,” Hux said haltingly. “Blood or not.” It was the first time he’d ever given voice to that particular sentiment. “I am unsure of what I can do to help but…” 

His voice trailed off but he apparently didn’t need to say anything more as Kalin scooted closer and hugged him. After a moment’s delay, he returned the gesture, feeling awkward. After a few seconds, the realization hit him that this might actually be what he could do to help and he relaxed a little. 

It was several minutes before Kalin pulled away, a small smile on her face. “Thank you, Hux.”

“I’m not sure that I did anything worth your thanks,” he admitted.

“You did,” she corrected him. “I loved Korr. I loved her a lot. I don’t know what might have happened next for us but I do know that part of me is going to miss her every day for a long time. Nothing can just make that go away but having friends be there for me helps. It makes me feel less alone.”

“I… whatever you need,” Hux said lamely, still at a loss for further words.

“You can tell me about whatever project it is that you’re working on,” Kalin said, pointedly shifting their conversation. 

He was more than happy to follow her lead here. “I wouldn’t call it a project, per say, but rather a loosely associated bunch of assignments for General Organa.”

“No Operation Apate version 2?” she teased.

“I don't think the Resistance is in any shape to be running any sort of operation except figuring out our next move.”

“You’re not wrong,” Kalin said soberly. Her comlink buzzed before she could say anything else. She glanced down at the message and sighed. “I should get back.”

“I’ll walk with you if you don't mind,” Hux said, getting to his feet before she could and offering her a hand up. 

Kalin accepted the hand with another small smile. “I don't mind in the least.” 

“Why don't you tell me about what you’ve been working on?” he asked mildly as they walked. 

That was all it took for Kalin to eagerly launch into an explanation of all the logistical work she’d been doing for the Resistance. There weren't that many other people who seemed to love their work as much as she did even when it was something not considered fascinating by most and she was still grieving. He missed having her as his aide but it made him happy to see her flourishing even under adverse circumstances. 

They'd just about reached Kalin's destination when they ran into Tycho as he exited the room. Despite himself, Hux felt himself tense a little. 

"Hux, Kalin," Tycho greeted them both with a nod and a reserved smile.

"Hello General," Kalin replied pleasantly. 

"Are you on your way to--" Kalin nodded before he was even done with his sentence. "I won't keep you then. Hux, a word?"

"Sir," Hux replied stiffly. 

Kalin flashed him a small smile before disappearing into the control room. Tycho gestured for him to follow and led him down the hallway to a smaller room that was occupied only by two pilots who immediately vacated as soon as they saw him. "I wanted to talk," Tycho said as they both took a seat, "since we haven't had much of a chance to do so since Hosnian Prime or before even."

"I was unaware that there was anything to discuss. Sir."

Tycho  leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "And that is what I wanted to discuss. I know that you were... less than pleased with my decision to remove you from active duty after what happened at Tieos." 

Hux gritted his teeth. "That's not the phrase I would have used."

His response was borderline rude but the Alderaanaian seemed to just let it slide. "Like I told you at the time, it was never intended as a punishment or to be seen as a reprimand although I am aware that it was seen as such. It came from a place of concern. I've seen far too many soldiers under my command fall victim to the stresses of war and what you went through was an even more extreme circumstance."

"I was fine, General," Hux said tightly, ignoring the part of him that it acknowledged the lie as it left his lips.

"Son--"

"Don't call me son."

"--you weren't fine."

"I--" Hux cut himself off abruptly and looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with the general even as the anger boiled within him. "I was fine," he repeated weakly. Tycho didn't say anything. "I wouldn't have let it interfere with my work."

"What we intend and what actually happens don't always line up as well as we might hope," Tycho said calmly without a hint of condescension. "As your commanding officer, I did what I thought was best for your well being based upon events, recent history, and concerned raised by those close to you. In my shoes, you may likely have done the same."

Hux shook his head and said without malice, "No, I wouldn't have. Haven't you always said that was my problem? A lack of emotion?"

"It was," Tycho corrected him. "But you're most certainly not the same young lieutenant who stood in my office talked about acceptable losses as if people were droids. You’re not even the same person who called himself weak for showing mercy to his sister not all that long ago. Whether you like it or not, Hux, your time in the New Republic has changed you in way that I think has made you a better man. It’s not just me who sees it but also all of the people here who love and care about you.”

Hux had no response. He didn't know what response he could possibly have to any of that.  Instead he just stared blankly and somewhat uncomfortably at the table between them. 

“The point I’m trying to make, Hux,” Tycho continued, “is that everything that happened stemmed from a place of concern for your well being. I’m glad to see that you’re doing better and the Resistance is lucky to have an officer like you serving in her ranks.”

“That’s kind of you to say, General,” Hux managed to say without of his any previous sarcasm or disdain. He felt like he should say more in the wake of...all of this but didn't know what. It was the second time in a hour he’d found himself completely tongue tied and he didn't like it. 

Tycho pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. “Well then. I’ve kept you from your duties long enough.”

The next instant, Hux scrambled to stand not out of military propriety but rather from a need to say something. As he opened his mouth, the words flew from his brain and he gaped silently at the older man for a second before extending his hand towards him. “Thank you, sir.”

As Tycho shook his hand, it felt like the awkwardness between them had faded away. Hux suspected that he would never entirely forgive being removed from duty but the animosity he’d felt at the time was now gone. “You’re a good man, Hux,” Tycho said with a small smile. “Whether you want to admit it or not.” With that, he left Hux alone with his thoughts and his startled confusion over two such incidents in rapid proximity. 

~

_ Luke Skywalker... Is that really him? I thought he was dead! Where has he been? That's Luke Skywalker! _

Everywhere Ben went, it seemed like the same whispers floated in the air around him. Everyone was talking about the sudden reappearance of his uncle like he was a myth come to life. He was so sick of hearing his uncle's name spoken in that reverential tone that he wanted to bash his head against the nearest corridor wall. Somehow, he managed to stop himself from doing so and instead contented himself with daydreaming about scenarios in which he'd just left Luke back on that stupid planet. 

Okay fine. Maybe he was exaggerating a little but he really wished people would stop. He was just tired of it. 

Instead, Ben made his way through the ship, trying to find somewhere quiet. It was easier said than done with the ship being packed tighter than it should have been because of the evacuation from D’Qar. It made him wonder why they hadn’t found a new base yet. He really hoped that his mother didn’t intend to keep them in space forever.

He let out a sigh of relief once he arrived at a small observation deck and it appeared to be unoccupied. He liked people, he really did, but sometimes being alone was the most wonderful thing ever.

“Ben?”

He frowned. “Mom?”

She poked her head around a console’s corner towards the front of the room. “Come sit with me.”

Out of habit, he automatically complied with her request, dropping ungracefully to sit on the deck beside her, leaning against the metal wall. “Why are you here?”

Leia’s half-smile was filled with amusement. “The same reason as you, I suspect.”

Ben raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “You’re sick of hearing everyone talk about Uncle Luke everywhere you go too?”

“I wasn’t going to phrase it quite like that.”

“How were you going to?”

She took a moment before answering, “I needed a few minutes away from everyone’s questions and expectations.”

“About where we’re going next?”

“Among other things.”

Ben couldn’t help himself. “Where are we going though?”

“Aris although I doubt you’ve heard of it.”

He shook his head. “Where is it?”

“In the Albarrio system near Wild Space,” Leia explained. “It’s uninhabited mostly. We should be able to hide from the First Order there while we decide what to do next.”

Ben turned his head to look at her. “You don’t think they’re trying to do the same thing?”

She shook her head. “No, I do but I don’t want to take any chances if we’re bringing everyone together. So tell me,” she changed the subject faster than he could blink, “what’s this about hearing people talk about your uncle everywhere?”

He looked at her incredulously. “Seriously? You don’t hear everyone?” His mother shook her head. “It’s been all I’ve heard for days now. About how he’s here and how Luke Skywalker’s going to save us like he did from the Empire.”

Tight-lipped, Leia took a breath and let it out again. “I probably should have expected this. I was just so… we needed him back.”

“We needed him to have never left,” Ben argued. “Although I guess we did okay without him so maybe I didn’t need to drag him back here and he could’ve just stayed on his stupid rock.”

An amused smile snuck onto her face. “He did mention that you didn’t give him much choice about returning to civilization.”

“Yeah well…” He shifted awkwardly. “I knew you’d be mad if I didn’t bring him back and then just go there yourself and yell at him so I thought I was saving time.”

“What else have you heard people say?” Leia asked curiously.

Ben shrugged. “I don’t know. No one ever really talks to me directly about anything. I just overhear things. And they just… I don’t know. It’s like half of them think that because Uncle Luke’s here now that he’s going to march up to Snoke’s palace or whatever with you and me behind him and we’ll win the war in ten minutes.”

For a minute, Leia didn’t reply. It was long enough that he had to look over at her curiously to make sure she was still there. “I wish there was a way that we could have stopped the stories back when they started.”

“What stories?”

“The ones about Luke. The ones about me and Han even. But in those days of the Rebellion, we needed every advantage we could get and Luke’s farmboy to hero tale made for particularly good propaganda. I suppose it never really stopped even when the war ended.”

“Not really.” Ben winced as the words sounded more accusatory than he’d intended. 

Leia leaned her head back against the wall. “From the minute you were born, I never made things easy on you. You had the Force and you had a heavy family legacy on your shoulders before you could even talk.”

“So did you,” he pointed out.

“Not quite like this. My parents were certainly heroes in my eyes but they weren’t names everyone in the galaxy knew. Not back then at least.”

Ben wasn’t sure that he could ever remember hearing his mom talk like that. It was weird to say the least. For most of his life, he’d heard about all of the obligations that came with being an Organa Solo and how he had a lot to live up to and how he’d have to be better than everyone else just so they’d think he was doing okay. He didn’t think he’d ever heard her acknowledge any kind of family burden except for the Vader one and everyone had heard about that. “It’s fine,” he finally settled for saying awkwardly. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’m your mother. Of course it is,” Leia deadpanned. It was enough to make Ben snort with laughter and after a moment, she couldn't help but laugh a little too before her expression sobered again and she fixed him with a very serious look. “I know you don’t think it but I’m very proud of you, Ben, and the person you’ve become especially over the last few years.”

“You just like my boyfriend,” Ben cracked.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes I’m fond of Hux but you know that wasn’t what I meant.”

“I… yeah. Thanks,” he said lamely and immediately winced at how horrible he sounded. “Sorry. I didn't mean it like that.” 

“I know.”

“We just don’t usually talk about…”

“Maybe we should,” Leia said tiredly. “This family has never been the best about communicating especially when it comes to how we feel about each other. Maybe if we had… maybe things would have gone differently.”

Ben frowned. “Really?”

She paused before shaking her head again. “Honestly Ben, I’m not sure but I do know what it’s like to lose people when you’re not ready. I lost my parents and my people when Alderaan was destroyed, I’ve lost countless friends in both of these wars, I thought I’d lost my brother and even Han once, and now Korrie and the rest of Hosnian Prime are gone too. There are a lot of things I would say if I could go back to before losing any of them. Those are regrets I don't want you to have.” 

He leaned his head back against the wall, thinking. “Well I already told Hux that I love him before he gets threatened with carbonite or whatever so-- _ ow _ !”

Leia shook her head with amusement but didn't look the least bit sorry for punching him in the arm. “I knew we never should have told you that story.” 

“Too late!” Ben said cheekily. 

“You’re definitely Han’s son,” she said before glancing at her datapad. “And I think I’ve hidden away for too long. Greer’s already sent me two messages.” Immediately, Ben jumped to his feet and offered her a hand up which she accepted with a smile. “Thank you.” 

He responded automatically, “You’re welcome.”

The next instant, his mother pulled him into a tight hug before rising up to her toes and kissing him on the forehead. “I meant it before, Ben. I’m very proud of you and I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom,” he mumbled, slightly bent so she could reach. 

Leia stepped back and smiled at him again. “I’ll see you at dinner then. Bring Hux if he wants.”

“Okay,” Ben promised even though he already knew what his boyfriend would likely say. The next moment, his mother left him alone with the stars and his thoughts about the past and the future. And then an idea came to him; one he was pretty sure had never crossed his mind before but that seemed so obvious now that it was there. It was something that felt right. 

Maybe this was why they didn't usually do deep conversations in their family. 

~

“Marry me.”

They were still slumped against each other in a tangle of limbs and Hux was positive that he must still be in a daze and must have heard Ben wrong. “What?”

“Marry me,” Ben repeated, voice somehow both hesitant and sure at the same time.

Frowning, Hux pulled away and flopped on the bed beside him, staring at the ceiling for a minute. The concept of love had just started to be one that he’d adapted to and now this? No. He must have heard his ridiculous boyfriend wrong. “What did you say?”

Ben rolled onto his side and raised up on one elbow. “Marry me,” he said for a third time, slowly enunciating each syllable so there was no mistaking his words. “When this war is over, I think we should get married.”

Well. There was no denying the words now. Carefully, Hux pushed himself up into a sitting position, trying not to let any of his internal panic show on his face although he was sure that Ben must have felt it through the Force. He considered several responses before finally settling on, “Why?”

“Because I love you,” Ben said simply, dropping a kiss to his hip. “And you love me.”

“Yes but…” Hux grasped for words. “That’s hardly an all encompassing reason for marriage. I didn’t even know it was something you wanted. You’ve never even mentioned it before.”

Ben smirked. “Hux, have you ever listened to yourself any time I say anything that might make our relationship something more? You panic.”

“I most certainly do not!”

Sitting up too, Ben started to tick them off on his fingers. “You ran away when you were finally starting to admit that you had feelings for me.”

“I was summoned to the bridge.”

“You cut me off the first time I tried to say that I loved you--”

“Your timing was terrible!”

“--and then you tried to distract me by blowing me the first time that I actually said it.”

“I don’t recall you complaining at the time.”

“Okay fine but you’re missing the point, babe.”

“Which is?”

“That if I’d ever said the m-word, you would have found a way to run away and avoid it. You’re doing it now.”

As much as he was loathe to admit it, when Ben had a point, he had a point. Hux leaned his head back against the wall and sighed, shutting his eyes for a brief moment. “Very well. Why don’t we discuss it now then?”

“Really?” The look Ben gave him was one of pure disbelief.

“Yes,” Hux affirmed, running his fingers idly up and down Ben’s thigh. “Aside from love, why do you want to get married?”

“Isn’t that and the sex enough?” Ben asked cheekily.

Hux couldn’t help but smile faintly. “Not quite.”

The next moment, Ben’s expression sobered again and he grabbed Hux’s hand with both of his, not making eye contact. “Because I’m better with you, Hux, and I don’t want to do any of this without you. We tried that and those were some of the worst three months of my life. I never want that to happen again.”

“I don’t want that either because I’m better with you too,” Hux admitted, “but there’s a war going on right now. Is this really-- we can’t run off and get married.”

“That’s why I said after.”

“I…” The words seemed stuck in his throat. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes. Or say no,” Ben offered. “And if you say no, I’ll just spend the rest of my life trying to convince you to say yes. Or do that Hux thing that you do and tell me that you have to think about it.”

Despite himself, Hux flushed red. “Why must you refer to taking the proper time to consider something important like that?”

Ben smirked. “Because I can.” Hux made a face of disgust which only made Ben smirk more as he released his hand and shifted into his lap, straddling his hips. “So. What’s your answer?’

“You do understand how terribly distracting you are like this, no?”

“Obviously.”

“You’re infuriating sometimes.”

“That’s why you love me,” Ben said decisively, kissing him. 

“Mm,” Hux replied distractedly, wishing that they could just continue along in that vein as it involved approximately zero decisions about the future. The logical part of him knew that wasn’t an option. Ben wasn’t going to let this go. He never let anything go. After another few moments, he leaned back and pressed his hands against Ben’s shoulders so he couldn’t lean in for another kiss. “I need time to think about this. I know you’d prefer an answer now but I can’t give you one.”

For the briefest moment, Ben’s face slipped into a pout before it vanished a moment later and became an easy smile. “Okay.”

Hux frowned. “Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay,” Ben said, pushing his hands away from his shoulders. “You’re you. I get that. I can wait. Got you to keep me busy.”

It turned out that Ben’s definition of busy that particular hour meant kissing every inch of him and Hux was rather certain he didn’t mind in the least.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is admittedly a moving pieces chapter but honestly anything was probably going to feel a little lesser after how I ended the last chapter.

In a turn of events of Hux had never quite expected, he found himself missing D'Qar. Not that he'd ever been particularly fond of the planet: far from it. He preferred the formerly metropolitan streets of Hosnian Prime or even the stark corridors of a spaceship in contrast to the decidedly rustic feel of D'Qar’s bunkers, caves, and fields. Aris was far worse than D'Qar had been even on its worst days. As far as he could tell, the planet was a humid jungle as far as the eye could see with little hope of relief even closer towards its poles. He'd overheard several older members of the Resistance compare the planet to the old Rebellion base on Yavin 4 and had cringed each time. It floored him that anyone would willingly subject themselves to having a secret base on a planet like this twice. He’d happily take a frigid wasteland over something like this.

Then again... it was likely the First Order would think similarly to him and wouldn't think to check a remote, mostly uninhabited planet that no reasonable human being would willingly live on. Emphasis on reasonable. 

It seemed as if at least some of the aliens members of the Resistance felt at home in the suppressing heat along with even a few of the humans. Hux would have almost envied them if he hadn't been too busy being irritated by the temperatures. Who in the stars had thought wool was a good fabric for these ridiculous uniforms? 

"You look thrilled, Colonel," Liselle observed with a straight face as she fell into step with him as they both headed towards the large building that the Resistance had designated as their command center. 

“And you look far too comfortable,” he snapped back peevishly. 

She shrugged, the movement unrestricted by the light-weight tank top she wore. “Benefits of being Intelligence. We wear what we want.” 

“Someone should require you all to wear the dress uniform daily.”

“You know that all of the other officers have at least started wearing their jackets open, no?” 

“You’re positively infuriating some days, Afyon.”

"It's a family trait," she smirked, clearly not taking any of it personally. "Do you know what this meeting is?"

He raised both eyebrows. "Why would I know that?"

"Because you're back in again," Liselle replied bluntly. 

"How do y--" Hux broke off mid-word. "Never mind. A foolish question."

"You didn't answer mine."

“No, I don’t,” he answered almost reluctantly. “Although I can certainly offer a conjecture based upon the available information.”

A sly smile appeared on Liselle’s face. “Care to wager ten credits on whose theory turns out to be closest?”

Hux shook his head. “I know better than to accept that bet.”

She shrugged, seemingly unbothered although they both seemed much more at ease as they stepped inside the climate controlled building. They defaulted back to comfortable silence as they wound their way through the building’s unfamiliar corridors, pausing every so often to ensure they were going the right way. When they finally reached the door, two stern faced Resistance soldiers were posted outside on either side of it. 

“Identicards,” the one soldier said flatly. 

“Surely you must be joking,” Hux said, a tinge of arrogance flooding his voice. “You undoubtedly know who I am and I will vouch for the Specialist. General Organa is waiting on us both.”

“And this is on General Organa’s orders. Identicards.”

Liselle gave in first, passing her rarely used Resistance badge to the soldier who slid it through his datapad. Hux followed suit. There was a brief pause before the second soldier nodded sharply. “You’re both cleared.”

“Obviously,” Hux muttered acidly as they walked in. “This is a fine time for the Resistance to  _ finally _ be learning about security protocols.” 

“Better late than never, no?”

“I suppose…” he said begrudgingly. 

For perhaps the first time ever, Liselle halted abruptly as she took in the room’s occupants. Hux looked over at her curiously. “I shouldn’t be here.” 

“Why?”

“Because,  _ Colonel _ , this is your high ranking realm, not mine. Intelligence stays in the shadows.”

Before Hux could come up with a response, Ben appeared out of nowhere and grabbed both of their arms, dragging them forward. “Come  _ on _ where have you two been?”

“Since when are you early to meetings?” Hux asked suspiciously.

“Since I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try and impress you a little,” Ben answered matter-of-factly.

That was enough to earn an inquiring eyebrow raise from Liselle and Hux had to refrain from rolling his eyes skyward. Ben just had to do this every damn time in front of, arguably, the smartest one of their friends who figured out secrets for a living. He did it on purpose. He must. Hux didn’t say anything but he filed away a reminder to tell his ridiculous boyfriend that this wasn’t the way to convince him to say yes.

Hux yanked his wrist free as he took in the other occupants of the room. Liselle hadn’t been wrong in her observation of who was present. It was a broader gathering than those who Leia had kept nearby immediately after Starkiller but appeared to be perhaps the next level or so out of her trusted inner circle with the addition of new faces whom he could only assume were ranking New Republic officers if Admiral Wedge Antilles was anything to judge by. More than a few of those present were unknown to him and by their ages, he suspected they hailed from the Rebellion days. 

“This is like one of my parents’ old war reunions,” Ben muttered, confirming those suspicions a moment later.

“I take it you know everyone here then,” Hux replied dryly.

“Yeah, more or less.”

He turned and raised an expectant eyebrow at Liselle who merely shrugged. “You already know that I know.”

Hux sighed. “Very well then.  Enlighten me. Who are the two speaking with General Cracken?”

Liselle took the lead. "The younger one is his son Pash. His flight group was supposed to be almost as good as the Rogues although I’ve been informed by reliable sources that’s up for debate." She nodded towards the grey-haired man who was talking with both Crackens. "General Draven was with the Rebellion all the way back at Yavin. Before it really. He’s good at what he does but my mother never had anything good to say about him." Hux raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. "She was very particular about people." 

"And what about the group talking to Admiral Antilles?" 

Liselle and Ben exchanged looks. "Care to take a turn?"

Ben shrugged. "Yeah sure. The woman beside him is Iella obviously." He must have seen the question in Hux's voice as both eyebrows shot up. "Wait you really didn't know that was Wedge's wife?" 

“Why would I?”

The Jedi shrugged again. “I don’t know, I just figured that you did. She’s really good at all of the Intelligence stuff. Inyri Forge is the other woman with them. She used to be a Rogue but I think she’s captain of one of the big ships now. And then Face Loran’s the bald guy.”

“Any relation to the child actor?” Hux asked, memories of the propaganda holofilms he’d watched in his youth returning. 

Liselle bit back an uncharacteristic snort of amusement. “Yeah. That’s him.”

Hux blinked. “I thought he was dead.”

“Most people did,” Liselle conceded with a nod. “But he ended up joining the Rebel Alliance and helped found the Wraiths. They’re the best Intelligence unit we’ve got. Unconventional but their results are undeniable.”

Even after a decade, the sorts of people who the Republic’s military seemed to attract still found ways to surprise him. Face Loran had vanished long before Hux had been born but he could still faintly remember seeing his propaganda films that he’d been in as a child. 

Before Ben and Liselle could point out anyone else, Leia walked into the room flanked by her husband and brother. She didn't even need to call for silence as conversation almost immediately fell to a quiet murmur as they walked towards the center of the room. With one of those practiced smiles, she looked around, taking in everyone present. “I’d like to thank all of you for being here today. The decision to become involved in what’s likely a second war for most of you can't have been easy. Everyone here has loved ones to worry about.” 

Heads nodded, accompanied by sounds of agreement. Hux was surprised when Admiral Antilles stepped forward. “Leia, if I can before we get started?”

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Go ahead.”

"It's been discussed by some of the people here already but I think we should all agree right now that General Organa is now the leader of the New Republic," Wedge said firmly yet pointedly ignoring the glare the woman in question was shooting him. "There's no Senate left and it will be months if not years before another government can be put in place. There's no point in having a separately operating Resistance anymore so she might as well be in charge of all of it. Is there anyone here who disagrees?" There was a round of head shakes and sounds of concurrence and Wedge spread his hands in a gesture of apology even though he clearly wasn't sorry in the least. "Sorry Leia but it needed to be put before the rest of the group."

Irritation left her place only to be replaced by a very blatant version of her practiced politician smile. "I will personally be funding your election campaign to become our new Chancellor once we reestablish the Senate." 

"Good luck convincing people to vote for a Corellian," Han said gruffly, inciting some laughter throughout the room.

Leia shook her head with amusement and waiting for the laughter to die down before proceeding. "We are going to need a path forward. They've hurt us badly with Hosnian Prime but we've hurt them too and they'll want revenge. I want to hear ideas from anyone in this room about how we can strike back before that."

For the longest time, no one said a word. It was as if no one wanted to be the first one to offer up a suggestion or to acknowledge the bantha in the room. Hux folded his arms across his chest and waited. He wanted to tell himself it was because he was waiting for the older and higher ranking people to speak up first but in reality, he didn't have a clue. There was most definitely open war between the two sides now but both were taking their time to lick their wounds and neither was (most likely) in any shape for a grand finishing strike. Perhaps if they had more of the fleet...

Wes Janson seemed to be on the same page. "What are we looking at in terms of ships with the combined Resistance and Republic fleets?"

Statura rattled off a summary of their capital and mid-sized ships and starfighters. Hux winced. It wasn't a bad number, per say, but it wasn't good. It was just barely half the former size of the New Republic's fleet and that had just been the ships they'd maintained in a time of relative peace. They had no way of knowing how it compared to the First Order's fleet but he suspected it wasn't a favorable ratio. 

Finally, the elder Cracken cleared his throat. "Well I'll say it if no one else will. We should use our newly returned Jedi Master."

Everyone turned to look at him and Luke seemed unphased by the sudden influx of attention. "I'm just one man, General Cracken."

"Yes but you're also a Jedi," Cracken countered. "Your sister wouldn't have spent six months looking for you if she didn't think you could help us win the war and yes, I knew about your side project from the start, Leia. Dameron's not exactly subtle."

The pilot in question shrugged with a good natured smile. "They don't really teach us about flying under the radar in the pilot academy. Well, not metaphorically at least."

"I would have been surprised if you hadn't known, Airen," Leia cut in smoothly. "Luke can't win this war for us by himself. We need an actual strategy."

It was if the veil was lifted and suddenly everyone started tossing out ideas from the small and reasonable to the large and frankly absurd. Leia said nothing, just listening. Hux listened too.

“So what the hell do they want me and Uncle Luke to do?” Ben asked rhetorically under his breath. “Are we supposed to just run around the galaxy and find Kyla and Snoke and kill them both and magically end the war?”

“I believe that some of them do,” Hux replied equally softly. 

“Well that’s stupid.”

“I don’t disagree.”

“We have to go back,” Liselle said abruptly. 

Ben and Hux exchanged looks. The Jedi frowned. “Back to what?”

“Back to how we started this war.”

“We need Basic, Afyon.”

Rolling her gray eyes, she sighed, clearly annoyed that neither man was keeping up with her train of thought. “We spent almost a year trying to find the First Order so we could convince the Senate that war was unavoidable. War’s here but we can only be reactionary if we don’t know--”

“Our Fleet can do nothing unless we know where to strike against the First Order.” Winter Celchu’s voice cut through the din, several of the ranking military officers halting their own conversations to look at her as she appeared to arrive at the same conclusion that Liselle had. “Let Intelligence do its job first while the Fleet takes the time it needs to integrate and become a whole.”

Leia leaned forward, clearly intrigued. “What do you propose?”

“Let General Cracken’s people have time do their work,” Winter repeated. “Admiral Antilles needs a target. Intelligence can provide one if given the time. Perhaps you can even recruit more systems to ally with us, as someone else mentioned.”

Deliberately, Leia glanced around the room at some of her key advisors going from Ackbar to Cracken to Antilles to Celchu to Sonnel to Statura and then finally to Han and Luke. All nodded or in some other way showed their concurrence with Winter’s proposal. “Then we’ll start there. Airen, I won't keep you and your people any longer. Everyone here has more than enough work to do. Dismissed.” 

There was a flurry of activity and Liselle silently excused herself to weave through the crowd towards the door. It was one of the few times Hux could remember Intelligence agents being so blatantly obvious outside of one of their own rooms. A group of the highest ranking fleet officers seemed to be congregating around Wedge and Tycho while others made their way towards Leia. Everyone, he noted seemed to be studious avoiding Luke. 

Ben clearly noticed the same thing and walked right over to his uncle. "So," he started without any preamble, "what are we going to do about Kyla?"

"I thought you had a plan," Luke said dryly. "Isn't that why you found me?"

"Finding you was the plan."

Luke said, "We'll have to wait and see what General Cracken's people learn."

Hux wisely chose not to linger around that particular conversation for too long and instead drifted towards the fleet officers. 

“We could try recruiting,” Poe Dameron was saying. “More people might want to join up after what happened to Hosnian Prime.” 

“Probably but it’ll take time to train them,” Inyri Forge pointed out. “More time than we might have.” 

Greer was floating between the fleet officers (who were, Hux noted, mostly pilots) and Leia’s group. “There are still plenty of independent planets that never joined the New Republic that may be interested in aligning with the Resistance now.”

“Maybe Ryloth…” Wedge said pensively. “The Syndullas might be willing to talk.”

"What about Adumar?" Janson asked from where he was leaning against a console, legs sprawled out and taking up as much space as possible. 

Wedge looked apprehensive. "What about it?"

"They stayed out of the New Republic, right?" Wedge nodded. "So send someone to ask them to join us now before the First Order can. I can go if you want. They seemed to like me okay last time."

"No!" Wedge and Tycho exclaimed simultaneously. Almost everyone else in the room was taken back by their tone. 

Janson rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's not like I'm going to get into any blastsword duels this time. And it's not like either of you two can go."

Wedge and Tycho exchanged looks again before turning almost as one towards the other older Rogue in the room. Hobbie Klivian sighed, expression dour. "Why does it always have to be me?"

“Because you keep hanging around me,” Janson said with a grin, bounding to his feet and slinging an arm around Hobbie’s shoulders. “Come on. This’ll be great.” 

Poe chimed in again, “I bet there are plenty of other planets who might consider it especially once we prove to them that we blew up Starkiller.”

Greer nodded. “I’ll talk to Leia about this. We should be able to come up with over planets to reach out to and maybe,” she winked at the pilot, “we’ll even put you and Finn on the recruiting posters.”

That was the first time he’d ever seen Poe Dameron blush.

“We’ll leave the politicking to you, Greer,” Tycho cut in smoothly, “and make sure the Fleet is ready once Cracken gives us a target.”

Hux could only hope that day would come sooner rather than later.

~

There was a disturbance in the Force. 

Ben could feel that something wasn’t quite right as he walked up the  _ Falcon _ ’s boarding ramp. His dad had asked him to meet him on the ship ten minutes ago but hadn’t really specified why. That part became way too clear as he rounded a corner and saw the rest of his family waiting for him in the main hold. His mother sat at the dejarik table while Luke stood on the opposite side of the room, pretending to inspect lights on a console. His father sat at the engineering station looking grumpier than usual.  

“You’re late, Ben,” Han said.

“You just told me to meet you here like ten minutes ago!” he protested.

Han shrugged, clearly not caring. “Listen, the three of you need to have a talk about what happened and it needed to happen six years ago but it didn’t so it’s going to happen now.”

“I’m sure this isn’t necessary,” Luke protested weakly.

The look Han fixed him with said it all. “Yeah. Sure, kid. And I’m Jabba returned from the dead.” He held out his hand. “Everyone give me your comlinks.”

Everyone immediately reached in their pockets for the devices except for Leia who frowned. “I can’t just go out of contact like this without any warning.”

“Sure you can. I already talked to Greer about it. She knows how to find you,” Han said with a shrug. 

“Traitor,” Leia murmured, dropping the device in his hand.

“The other one too, sweetheart.” Leia only glared a little before handing the second comlink to him too. Turning to go, Han headed back the way Ben had just come from. “Try not to wreck my ship.” The sound of the boarding ramp shutting behind him felt decidedly ominous. 

For what seemed like an eternity, none of the Skywalkers breathed a word, each of them studiously avoiding each other’s eyes. After a few long minutes, Luke finally came to sit at the dejarik table beside Leia, gesturing for Ben to join him. “You’re both still upset with me.”

“I’m not sure that upset is the right word,” Leia said. 

Ben rolled his eyes. “I was going to go with mad. Or maybe pissed off.”

His mother fixed him with a look. “Ben.”

“What?” he asked, spreading his hands. “He asked. Sort of.”

“And you have every right to be,” Luke said. “I did leave you both to deal with the aftermath of Rey’s fall even if I did so for the right reasons.”

Leia shook her head. “No. They weren’t the right reasons, Luke, and even if they were, you should have said something before you vanished.”

The Jedi winced. “I did tell you when and why I was going to Coruscant.”

“And then you left for wherever you went next without a word,” Leia countered. “You changed ships and did everything you could to hide your tracks. There is no partial credit involved here.”

“I didn’t mean to--”

“But you did.” Leia’s voice was flat. “You and Ben were off in the Outer Rim when everyone found out about Vader. You weren’t here for the brunt of that burden and you ran away a few months later when Snoke’s whispers finally got to Rey and she snapped. You’re her father and you left the rest of us to deal with everything here.”

Ben jumped in. “You told me on Ahch’to that you didn’t want to be like Obi-Wan but that’s exactly what you did. It’s what you  _ both _ did.” He turned slightly so he was looking at both his mom and his uncle. “You lied to us about who our grandfather really was for decades and only told us because someone else told everyone else first. And then!” He focused on Luke again. “You ran away when your student fell to the dark side because you thought you’d failed and it was easier than sticking around to actually do something about it. Actually, at least Obi-Wan went into hiding to try and protect you and didn’t leave people he said he loved behind to fend for themselves.” 

Silence reigned for another long minute. Once again, Luke was the one to break it. “I know that an apology can’t make up for any of this but I’m sorry. I am truly sorry that I left like I did and that I stayed away even though I thought it was the right thing to do.”

“Thank you,” Leia murmured. 

“I don’t know what I can do to help make up for those years. I’m not sure that there even is anything but I will do what I can.” Luke took a deep breath. “Rey is my daughter and she is my responsibility even if she’s calling herself Kyla Ren now. My teachings might have failed her but if there’s a chance that she can be redeemed, I have to try.”

“And what if she can’t be?” Ben blurted out, the memories of each time he’d faced her still fresh in his mind.

Luke shook his head. “I don’t believe that’s possible.”

Ben unclipped Anakin’s lightsaber from his belt and slammed it onto the dejarik table. “She tried to kill me because she wanted this stupid lightsaber. I think it’s possible.”

Leia avoided looking at the hilt. “Kyla isn’t Vader, Ben.”

“I know she’s not but she wants to be. So I want to know what Uncle Luke thinks we should do.”

“We do what we have to do,” Luke said hesitantly. “We try to redeem her if we can and we stop her if we have to.”

“You can do that?” Ben pressed him. “You’d be willing to kill your daughter? Or would you leave me to do it and run away again?”

“I’ll do what I have to,” Luke repeated. “And then we’ll both let the Jedi Knights fade back into legend.”

It took everything Ben had to not bash his head against the nearest bulkhead.

When Han came back over an hour later, the three of them had talked through most of their lingering anger and frustrations but not a single one of them was left feeling good about the last few years or where the war might bring him. Frustrated, Ben wanted to just drop his head into his hands. He had a bad feeling about all of this. Maybe he should have just left his uncle on that stupid planet after all.


	7. Chapter 7

If Hux had needed further proof that he was back in both Tycho’s and Leia's good graces, his presence at this latest meeting would have more than covered it. These smaller sessions tended to be larger than they'd used to be in months past which seemed odd but he supposed that this was just Leia's way of taking advantage of having all of the points of view she'd previously been denied. Intelligence was as well represented as the military with Cracken, Iella, Liselle, and Myri sitting opposite from himself, Tycho, Karé Kun, and Finn. The former stormtrooper had done well during the Starkiller sabotage mission and seemed to have been quickly embraced by the Resistance especially with Poe Dameron at his side. 

With Leia that day were Greer, Kalin, and Ben. Ever since he’d returned with the fabled Luke Skywalker in tow, Hux had noticed that Ben seemed to be at his mother’s side more often in these sorts of meetings. He hadn’t quite figured out why but it didn’t feel like something he ought to inquire about. On the other hand, he was pleased to note that Leia seemed to have taken Kalin under her wing partially likely due to their shared grief for Korr Sella and partially because she had clearly picked up on the woman’s talent and seemed intent on cultivating it. 

This was the third meeting of this sort that he’d participated in over the last few weeks. The participants had somewhat changed from meeting to meeting but Tycho, Cracken, Iella, and Leia had always been present with the lower ranking seats being filled by either freshly returned Intelligence officers or whomever the Fleet could spare at that point in time.

“Arkanis is quiet,” Liselle was saying. “Too quiet. I worked every angle could think of and then some. I even went back and talked my way into their maximum security prison to interrogate Carise Sindian. She didn’t want to cooperate but she gave me enough to think that the First Order is avoiding the planet deliberately. Same goes for some of the more obvious planets like Coruscant and Kuat. They may still have Centrist leanings but the First Order isn’t reaching out to them blatantly right now.”

“We may have been too thorough about searching them out over the last few years,” Leia said dryly. “Who knew it would be to our detriment now?”

Cracken let out a sound of amusement. “There’s no such thing as too much information; just not useful it right.”

Myri cleared her throat and looked oddly hesitant. Today her hair was dyed a dark purple, a strangely subdued hue for her. “I uhhh… I may have found something.” Iella fixed her daughter with a look. “Okay, I know I found something. I’m just not sure where it can go.”

Leia gestured for her to go on. “That’s the purpose of these meetings. What is it?”

She shoved a silver disc into the center of the table, images springing to life above it. “This is from on Orinda less than a week ago.” White armored stormtroopers marched through the streets in pairs while the planetary residents seemed to give them as wide of a berth as possible. The images jumped around but there were clearly more than a few stormtroopers on planet and even a few officers. Out of the corner of his eye, Hux saw Ben lean forward, clearly interested. “They don’t seem to have any ships in orbit or at least nothing significant but they definitely have a foothold there. I just couldn’t get close enough to figure out why.”

Frowning, Leia studied the images, flicking through them again and landing on one of what seemed to be the First Order’s headquarters. “How long have they been there?”

“At least several months from what the locals said,” Myri responded. “I think they might be using the planet as some sort of recruiting center or waystation. It could be the lead that we need. We just need to get someone on the inside.”

“You weren’t able?” Tycho asked curiously and without any accusation.

Myri shook her head. “I was able to steal a lieutenant’s uniform but couldn’t find a way to slip in unnoticed.”

“It’s First Order protocol when deployed,” Finn interjected. “Always go in pairs and be suspicious of anyone alone who’s not high ranking as they could have been compromised.”

“I thought about trying to steal a higher ranking uniform but I didn’t think anyone would believe me as a captain or a colonel. I’ve always been better at fitting in with a group of smugglers or privates.”

“We do need someone to look into this though,” Leia said, eyes still taking in the images. “This could be the lead we need if we can get someone inside; someone they’ll believe is one of them. It’s just a matter of figuring out who we can send.”

Quiet descended on the group for a minute as everyone considered the general’s words. Hux didn’t need to do too much considering. He’d figured out where this was heading several minutes ago. “So what you’re saying, General, if you’ll pardon my paraphrase, is that you need someone with a suitably Imperial demeanor who the First Order will accept as being one of their own.”

“I suppose so, yes.”

No one seemed willing to make eye contact with him and Hux couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Oh honestly, just say so next time. I’m hardly a practiced Intelligence operative but I’ll go. I’ll just need someone to go with me to sell the illusion.”

“I’m going too,” Ben said immediately.

Leia shook her head. “Hux is an ideal choice for this but I need you here, Ben.”

“No you don’t,” Ben argued. “I’m not really doing anything and if you need a Jedi for something, you’ve got Uncle Luke now. If Hux is going on this mission than I’m going too.”

“I’ll go as well,” Liselle volunteered. “You could use someone with field experience and we might be able to sell ourselves as a newly arrived ship passing through this waystation.”

Myri shook her head. “I found it, it should be my mission.”

Liselle’s grey eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “You said you didn’t think you’d be believable in an officer uniform.”

“By myself. With Hux, it should be fine.”

“If you need someone who can sell being a part of the First Order then I should go,” Finn broke in.

“Everyone stop!” Leia said, raising her voice just loud enough to be heard over the din of volunteering. “All of you can’t go. We need at least some of you here to keep working on other projects or leads.” Hux kept his face blank as did Liselle while Finn and Myri looked somewhat embarrassed and Ben just looked annoyed. Leia waited a solid ten seconds to be sure they had all stopped talking before continuing. “Iella, Airen, you’ve both looked at this report more closely than the rest of us. How many people should this team be comprised of?”

Cracken and Iella exchanged looks.  “Three, maybe four,” Cracken replied. “Two or three for the actual infiltration and then one as remote assistance and back up if necessary. Any larger of a team might be too noisy.”

Hux tilted his head slightly to the right. “Very well then. Send myself, Ben, and either Myri or Liselle and whatever fourth person you’d like as back up.”

“Why not me?” Finn asked, seeming a bit perturbed. 

Greer leaned forward, locking gazes with him. “Because your face is likely on every last bit of internal First Order propaganda being passed through the stormtrooper ranks,” she said in a tone that offered neither pity nor condescension. “They’ll have turned you into a cautionary example and likely reinforced some sort of negative reaction to seeing your face or hearing your number.”

Finn’s face fell. “Oh.”

“We can still use you to help prep the team for the mission,” Iella assured him. “I’m sure that Hux could use a refresher on First Order protocols.”

Although he didn’t say anything, Hux silently admitted that she was likely right. 

“What about someone from Blue Squadron as your fourth?” Karé suggested. “Most of us have some secondary training and you could probably use a good pilot if the situation gets hairy.”

“Who do you suggest?” Leia asked.

Karé tilted her head, considering. “Maybe Testor? She’s a good mechanic and has been studying with Intel’s communications specialists when she’s had free time.”

“Jess Pava it is then if she agrees.”

“She’ll agree,” Karé said with dry amusement. 

“Then it’s just a matter of determining which of these very qualified women rounds out the team,” Leia said turning towards the Intelligence side of the table again. Surprisingly, she seemed to have lost interest in objecting to Ben’s participation in the mission.

If it was left up to Hux and Ben, he knew who each of their choices would be and they wouldn’t be in concert but it wasn’t up to them. Interestingly, neither Liselle nor Myri said a word in their defense, waiting for their superiors to make the call. Cracken and Iella exchanged looks and apparently silent words judging by the eyebrow raises. 

“Antilles,” Cracken said gruffly, making Myri’s head snap up. “Will you be recognized if you go back?”

She considered it for all of three seconds before shaking her head. “I changed my face structure enough to fool the facial recognition software and I went pretty heavy with the clothing disguises.”

“You’ll go then.”

Ever the professional, Liselle didn’t visibly react except for nodding. Hux was disappointed by the general’s decision but understood why he’d made it.

“We should start prepping the three of you for the mission now,” Iella said, glancing over at Leia. “Unless there was something else you wanted to discuss?”

Leia shook her head. “Go ahead. The sooner you leave on this mission, the sooner we might have the information that’ll lead us to the First Order.”

~

The next 48 hours were a bit of a blur for both Ben and Hux as they’d gone through briefing after briefing with Intelligence officers. Iella and Finn had been in charge of most of them with a bit of assistance from Face Loran of the Wraiths when it came to wardrobe. The Resistance had built up a surprisingly large collection of First Order uniforms over the last year. It was hardly an all encompassing closet with options for all but they were shockingly able to find and alter uniforms that would fit him, Myri, and even Ben. Apparently there had once been a very tall and muscular lieutenant whose frequent time spent in the gym hadn’t saved him from losing to the Resistance. Somehow, Hux had managed not to make a face when he’d been handed a major’s uniform. The teal of the fabric was a lovely shade by itself but it had clearly not been selected with someone who had his hair color in mind.

“Is it wrong if I say that’s a good look on you?” Ben murmured in his ear, resting his hands on Hux’s hips from behind.

“I’m not sure it’s a  _ good  _ thing,” Hux said, turning his head ever so slightly to look at him. “Besides, I’m well aware of how my hair clashes with this color.”

“Wasn’t looking at your hair, babe,” Ben said, lightly smacking his rear.

Myri wrinkled her nose at them as she walked into the ship’s hold. “Get a room, you two.”

Hux stepped out of Ben’s reach immediately, clearing his throat. “Did Pava say how much longer until we come out of hyperspace?”

“About another twenty minutes and then who knows how much longer landing’s going to take.”

“Then we’d best be prepared sooner rather than later.”

Myri straightened up into parade rest, her entire demeanour immediately transforming. “Do I pass inspection, Major Shale?”

Hux took his time in looking her up and down partially to help slip back into the persona of being an arrogant First Order officer and partially to make sure that she really did look the part. “Straighten your hat,” he instructed her, waiting for her to fix it before nodding. “You’ll do, Lieutenant Roat.”

“What about me?”

Reluctantly, Hux turned around to face his boyfriend. This was the one part of the plan that he felt uneasy about. At the time, having Ben join them on the mission had seemed a smart idea. His Force senses were always an asset on the ground and frankly, there had been no talking him out of coming along. However, Ben was, like Myri, far more at home pretending to be a smuggler and such. He may have had royal blood in his veins but wearing these sorts of uniforms didn't come easily to him. 

“I think it fits okay,” Ben continued, oddly unsure of himself. The fit of the uniforms was the one thing that none of them needed to worry about. Intelligence had made sure of that. 

Hux frowned. He was almost there. The stance was close but still veered towards civilian. However the wild mess of dark hair that the winged officer’s cap was perched upon... “Come here, you look absurd.” Gently yet firmly, he reached up and finger combed Ben’s hair into something that looked at least somewhat more appropriate for an officer even though no one in the First Order would likely ever grow their hair that long. Wordlessly, Ben handed him a band and Hux tied his hair off in a neat tail before stepping back to look critically at his work. “Better. Somewhat.” Ben grinned and in an instant, Hux knew it wasn't good enough. “This isn't going to work.”

Myri stepped forward, frowning with worry. “Are you sure?” Hux gave her a look and she immediately raised her hands defensively. “Okay, okay! It was worth asking. We’ll have to shift to the back up plan then.” 

Ben frowned. “Wait. We have a back up plan?” 

~

“I don't understand why this wasn't the  _ first _ plan,” Hux said irritatedly, watching as Myri and Ben put on the two sets of First Order stormtrooper that Intelligence has apparently had had hidden away from the start. The thermal detonator one the larger one had even been altered to allow Ben to hide his lightsaber within. 

Myri shrugged. “The Cracken thought a stormtrooper as tall as Ben might draw too much notice but wanted us to be prepared anyways?”

“More notice than a scruffily dressed lieutenant with a somewhat famous face?” Hux asked acidly, a part of him realizing he was taking out his anger on the wrong person. 

“Not even Airen Cracken’s perfect. Just don't tell him I said that. Can you help us with these back plates?”

Hux nodded and helped lower the oddly formed back plate’s yolk over Myri’s shoulders and then reached up to help Ben do the same with his. The front chest plate was next and then the shoulder and arm pieces, everything snapping into place with a satisfying click. This new armor certainly protected the stormtroopers better than that of the Empire but it wasn't something that really allowed a soldier to dress himself with ease; a flaw his father likely hadn't cared to address. 

Ben finished putting on his disguise first and smirked at him. “Admit it, babe. You just nixed the uniform ideas because you love a man in armor.” Myri snorted with laughter even as Hux glared at him. “Aww come on. Not even a little bit of a smile?” 

“I prefer,” Hux said, reaching for the helmet and placing it on Ben’s head, “whatever keeps you quiet.” 

“You know that these helmets have speaker systems, right?” Ben asked, voice somewhat distorted by the electronic filter. 

“Allow me to dream.”

Jess Pava strided into the hold, looking as if she felt slightly uncomfortable in the First Order flightsuit she wore as a disguise just in case. “You’re clear to leave the ship as soon as you’re ready.”

“We just need another minute,” Myri told her, fumbling with her helmet’s comm channels. “How do we switch between the two again?”

“Top left of the HUD,” Pava explained. “You’ll see the icon. Bottom right has the wipe protocol just in case.”

Myri shoved her head into the helmet and nodded after a second. “Got it.”

The taller woman took a step back, shoving her hands into the flightsuit’s pockets. “I’ll keep the ship ready to go. Just let me know what you need.” 

Hux nodded curtly. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Troopers?”

As soon as they left the ship and stepped into the city proper, Hux noticed the difference. He’d never been to Orinda before but he suspected it hadn’t felt quite like this since the days of the Empire. It was all too easy to revert to the attitude of his youth. The posture wasn’t as much of a stretch. He’d never quite lost that stance thanks to all of his years in the military but the habitual sneer of superiority… that took a little bit of work. It was made somewhat easier by how none of the Orindians would meet his eyes. Clearly, it hadn’t taken them long to relearn that making eye contact would only bring them unwanted attention and likely even more unwanted trouble. 

The entire charade was greatly helped by his stormtrooper escort. Myri took point while Ben followed. Every now and then, they passed by other First Order soldiers, mostly stormtroopers. None of them seemed the least bit phased by the sight of a ranking officer walking through the city with two stormtroopers. As they approached a pair of young looking lieutenants, Hux had to force himself to keep the disinterested look of arrogance on his face but neither seemed to realize anything was wrong. Instead, both immediately snapped to attention and saluted as soon as they saw his rank band, holding it until Hux returned the salute and then they continued on their way. At least the First Order still valued, well, order.

The mission itself was fairly simple even if it wasn't going to be an easy one. They had to pass themselves off as legitimate members of the First Order, infiltrate their planetary headquarters, and determine whether Orinda actually could lead them to wherever the First Order was hiding to lick their wounds. It was just the execution that would be tricky. 

The second big test came as they reached the building at the city’s center that the First Order had commandeered. As they approached, both waiting stormtroopers saluted smartly and then fell back to their usual ready stance. “Your identicard, Major.”

With a bored expression, Hux passed his forged identicard over. “Be quick about it. I haven’t got all day, trooper.”

“Yes, sir,” the trooper replied, higher pitched voice indicating that she was a woman beneath the armor. She inserted the card into the door’s reader and waited a few painfully long moments before it beeped. “Your credentials are good, Major Shale.”

“Of course they are,” Hux said with a sneer. Winter Celchu was a hacker of galactic caliber. He would have been shocked if her work hadn’t been accepted. “Now let us proceed. I have work to do.”

It looked as if the stormtrooper was wincing but the armor made it almost impossible to tell. “I need your escorts’ numbers too, sir.”

With an impatient wave, Hux waited anxiously as she scanned both of their numbers even though everything seemed to be proceeding according to plan.  

Or at least it did until Ben said slowly yet deliberately, “Everything checks out. We can go about our business.”

“Everything checks out,” the stormtrooper repeated back. “You can go about your business.”

Hux didn’t allow himself to breathe a sigh of relief as they stepped inside and the door shut behind them. “What the hell was that?” he hissed, lips barely moving but trusting that the hidden comlink he wore would pick up his words. 

“She was taking too long,” Ben said unapologetically, voice echoing in Hux’s ear and not through the helmet’s speakers. 

“Don’t do it again,” Hux snapped before turning back towards Myri. “We need a console.”

She didn’t respond verbally, only nodded before setting off through the corridors. She walked with such purpose that Hux wasn’t entirely sure whether or not she actually knew where she was going but either way, it seemed to work as she lead them right to a wall console down a side corridor. Both Myri and Ben took up guard positions on either side and just behind him as he glanced from side to side before pulling a datapad out of his pants pocket and flipped open the access panel. Just like he’d practiced, he connected the datapad’s wire to the console and then hit a button and waited twenty torturous seconds as the machine did the work for him and hacked into the local system. A soft  _ ding _ let him know when its work was done and he immediately bent over the screen, searching for the leads they needed.

“It looks as if we can’t do much from here,” he said softly, skimming through screen after screen as fast as he could. “I can send this facility’s map to both of your helmets. We need to get into the one of the control room and use the computers there. They’ll be directly networked”

“We’ll need a distraction,” Myri said pensively, clearly already reviewing the maps inside her helmet.

“I can handle that,” Ben said.

“We need something subtle,” Myri corrected him. “No Jedi stuff. They can’t know that we were even here.”

“I wasn’t going to use my lightsaber!” Ben protested. Hux let himself roll his eyes as he signed off from the console and tucked the datapad back into his pocket. “Fine. What if we pretend it’s a site inspection? Safety or security or something like that.”

Hux mulled the possibility over in his mind for a minute. “That might work especially for an auxiliary site. Let’s try it.”

Once again, Myri led the way but this time, Ben marched in step with her, copying what they’d seen other officers with escorts do. Hux did his best to look bored and unconcerned as they wound their way through the corridors. By pure chance, they only passed by stormtroopers and low ranking enlisted officers and not by anyone high enough ranking that they might ask questions. It was enough luck that Hux silently had to wonder if they might be using up all of their good fortune too early in the mission. 

They didn’t bother observing any of the niceties as they entered the secondary control room. It wouldn’t be appropriate. “This is a security inspection,” Ben said, doing a rather good impression of a stormtrooper who was bored by a routine part of his job. “Remove your hands from your terminals, stand up, and take a step back from your work station.”

“We uhhh didn’t know there was going to be an inspection today,” a nervous looking lieutenant said even as he complied.

“That is the point of a security inspection,” Hux said, fixing him with a cold stare. “We prefer to see what you’re doing on a daily basis and not how you clean up when you know a ranking officer will be present. I want all of you to stand against that far wall.” He turned towards Myri, subtly pulling the datapad from his pocket and setting it on one of the consoles. “LZ-4289, begin running your security protocols.”

“Yes, sir,” Myri replied, palming the datapad with remarkable smoothness despite the armor. 

He nodded for Ben to join him and began drilling each of the four hapless officers on their daily security protocols and routines. Hux took his time, drawing out his responses and forcing the men and women to clarify their answers and sometimes repeat them in hopes of catching them in a conflicting story. It was all standard procedure for a Security Bureau type like he was pretending to be but at its core, it was a stalling technique to give Myri as much time as he could while she searched through their systems. Despite the datapad’s technological assist, it still took more time than any of them had figured on.

As Hux turned to the last officers, he could just barely hear Myri’s quiet voice in his ear. “Almost there…”

Not three seconds later, Ben stiffened. “Sir?”

Hux glared at him. “I’m in the middle of something, trooper.”

“There’s a message from the General, sir.”

That was the code phrase they’d agreed upon. It was a code phrase that meant trouble. The corners of Hux’s mouth twitched downward. “LZ-4289, are you finished?”

There was a pause as Myri seemed to scramble to wrap up whatever she’d been doing. “Yes, Major.”

“Good.” Hux turned back to the junior officers, focusing on the last one. “You are granted a reprieve today but do not think that I will not be back to ensure all of the procedure changes are made.”

A chorus of ‘yes sirs’ followed them out of the room as Ben marched quickly down a corridor. Hux and Myri both had to extend their stride to keep up. Seeming to find whatever door he was looking for, Ben slapped the door panel, hitting the lock mechanism once they were all inside before yanking his helmet off. “We have to get out of here.”

“Slow down and back up,” Hux said tersely. “Did you get what we needed?”

“Not all of it,” Myri said reluctantly. “I know what they’re using this station for but I wasn’t able to get to their logs and location data. I needed another few minutes.”

He clenched his jaw. “Why did you pull us out?”

“Because Kyla Ren is here,” Ben said forcefully. “She’s on this planet and we need to leave.”

“Does she know you’re here?” Hux asked.

Ben hesitated. “Maybe? I’m not sure. I made my Force presence as small as I could as soon as I felt her but I don’t know if it was fast enough.” 

“How much time do we have?” Myri asked, projecting a three-dimensional map of the building from one of her gauntlets so they all could look.

“I don’t know,” Ben admitted. “I think her ship was landing near here but I can’t use the Force again because then she’ll definitely know I’m here.”

“We can go up?” Myri suggested. “Jess can pick us up.”

Hux shook his head. “No. If we can preserve the integrity of this mission, we must.”

“Okay…” Her voice trailed off as she studied the map again and then traced a route with her finger. “So we go out this way then and back through the city.”

Hux glanced at Ben who shrugged. “We don’t have a choice, right? Let’s just get this over with.” Without saying another word, Ben shoved his helmet back on and held his blaster at the ready.

If Hux had thought that walking through the stronghold was nerve wracking before, it had nothing on the anxiety that coursed through him now. What were the chances that Kyla Ren was here on this planet the same time as they were? Was it even by chance or was this some elaborately laid trap for her cousin as bait for her father? Did she even know that Luke Skywalker was back in civilization? How could she know?

Dozens of questions raced through his mind even as he struggled to keep his outward expression one of routine boredom and disdain. They just had to make it out the door and then back through the city to their ship. It wasn’t terribly far and he and Ben had undoubtedly gotten out of worse situations than this in the past. They could still make it.

As they neared the exit, Ben seemed even more on edge.

“Relax,” Myri said through their internal com system. “You’re going to give us away if you look like you’re ready to blast the first thing that moved.”

“I  _ am _ ready to blast the first thing that moves,” Ben snapped back. 

“We just have to get back outside,” Myri said far more calmly than either of them felt. The troopers on either side of the door saluted Hux which he returned casually yet smartly as Ben led them back into the sunlight. “See?” she said as the door shut behind them. “We’re halfway there. Everything’s going to be--”

She never finished the sentence, cut off by her own scream of pain as a lightsaber cut through her armor and into her flesh from behind. Hux and Ben whirled around, blasters up and shooting at Kyla Ren who’d appeared from nowhere. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Kyla said, deflecting both of their blaster bolts harmlessly into the air even as Myri crumpled to the ground, her helmet falling off. Hux couldn’t tell if she was still breathing. Ever contrary, Ben fired off a trio of shots at her again. This time, she deflected them back towards him with at least two hitting him in the torso. The stormtrooper armor seemed to hold but the force of the blasts was enough to make the Jedi almost double over. 

A moment later, the sound of marching, armored footsteps hit their ears as over a dozen stormtroopers surrounded them, blasters aimed and at the ready. Instinctively, Ben and Hux drew closer together so they could help protect the other for whatever good it would do them. 

Kyla stepped towards them, one end of her lightsaber still on but held down at her side as she focused not on her cousin but on Hux. “Colonel Hux, isn’t it? We didn’t get to properly meet last time.”

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t shake your hand,” Hux drawled with as much disdain as he could muster. 

She seemed nonplussed. “That uniform suits you, Colonel. It’s a shame you abandoned it. It’s a shame about what happened with your father too, of course.” Hux gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay silent. Kyla turned her attentions away. “And Ben Organa Solo. Did you bring me my lightsaber?”

Impulsively, Ben yanked his helmet off and tossed it into the dirt. “I didn’t bring you anything, Kyla. You don’t deserve any of it and you won’t get anything from either of us.”

“We’ll see about that.” she said with an audible smirk in her voice as she turned away. “Stun them,” she ordered. “The Supreme Leader wants them alive.”

Hux and Ben had just enough time to exchange looks before the stormtroopers started firing, hitting them each with multiple stun bolts. This was not, Hux thought as they both fell to the ground, how he’d expected this mission to proceed. He could only hope that at least their pilot would make it out alive. He hoped that  _ they _ would make it out alive.

That was the last thought he had before a wave of unconsciousness took him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Torture  
> This applies to both this chapter and the next one. I don't think it's terribly graphic but both Hux and Ben do get tortured and it's not a very pleasant experience for either of them. Obviously. 
> 
> Also, next week's chapter might end up not being posted until Monday since I'll be at NYCC and will likely pass out on the train instead of remembering to post it.

The first thing Hux was aware of as he came to was pain. Everything hurt but especially his head. It was, he suspected, a side effect of the multiple stun bolts he’d been hit with and unlike Ben, he hadn’t been wearing any armor to mitigate the damage. 

_ Ben. _

He forced himself to crack an eye open and take a look around, hoping against hope that he might see his boyfriend there. It was in vain. He was the only occupant of the small, sterile cell. 

Taking in a deep breath, he slowly let it out again. This was, he determined, far from ideal. His hands were manacled together and secured to the wall above his head while his feet also appeared to be secured together although not attached to any part of the room. Whoever had left him there had removed the officer's jacket, leaving him in just his undershirt and the flared breeches. He was torn between being grateful that they hadn't left him barefoot and also annoyed that they hadn't removed the uncomfortable officer boots which were far from broken in and continued to pinch his feet. 

The mission hadn't gone how it was supposed to. Taking another deep breath, he tried to think back and remember what had happened in those final minutes on Orinda. Ah yes. The Force had told Ben that Kyla Ren was on planet and they'd tried to leave before she could find them only for that to all go horribly wrong. She'd gone for the person she'd seen as disposable first. Hux didn’t know whether Myri Antilles was still alive but he wasn't sure how someone could survive a lightsaber to the back like that. Kyla had said something to both of them before ordering the stormtroopers to shoot them and he had a nagging feeling that it had been important but the stun bolts still left his memory far too hazy. 

And now, Hux finally let himself think, he was a prisoner of the First Order.  _ Damn _ .

He was far from being an optimistic person but there was no possible scenario in which this escapade ended well either for him or for the Resistance. Perhaps, in another universe, General Organa had put her foot down about Ben joining the mission and the Jedi Knight would be in the midst of organizing a rescue mission at that very moment. Reality, however, was quite different and Ben was a prisoner here just like he was. No one was coming to rescue them which meant that either they required a miracle to help rescue themselves or that they were able to hold out long enough during the inevitable interrogation to give Jess Pava enough time to return to the Resistance and let them know that they needed to evacuate the base. That, of course, assumed that Pava hadn’t also been captured or killed.

There was, Hux realized, a good chance that neither one of them would make it back to the Resistance alive. He leaned his head back against the metal wall, trying to ignore both the aching in his arms and the sobering thought that he might die soon.

One cell over, Ben Organa Solo wasn't doing much better. In fact, the First Order seemed even more concerned about his chances of escaping and kept a stormtrooper inside the room with him. They'd also bound his hands together and secured them above his head and manacled his legs to the wall too. He'd already tried to use the Force to undo the locks but had failed. The First Order must have figured out a way to make Force proof locks. Or maybe he was still too dazed from the blasts to focus properly.

Kyla hadn't figured out a way to block the Force all together though. He was conscious enough to reach out with his mind and find Hux less than ten meters away but there was no sign of Myri. He didn't really want to consider the possibilities. Hux seemed to be mostly okay; bruised and sore from the stun blasts but otherwise unharmed. Even though Ben knew that Hux hated it, he peeked into his mind a little with the Force because he had to be sure that he was okay. It was mostly as he'd expected. Hux was clinically cataloging everything he knew about their situation and sorting out the possible future scenarios. There was a tinge of panic but (Hux being Hux) he'd pushed it as far down as possible in an attempt to avoid it. 

Good. Ben leaned his head back and let out a small sigh of relief. As long as Hux was okay, he could get through this. He just had to make sure... he couldn't let Kyla know how much Hux meant to him. His cousin's problem was with him and the last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to be used against him or worse, made to suffer because of him. 

Plastering the best unworried smirk on his face that he could manage, Ben looked up at the stormtrooper. "Hey. So. Do you want to take these off of me?" he asked, trying to  _ push _ the thought with the Force. 

It didn't work.

"What I want is to shoot you, Jedi scum," the stormtrooper fired back. 

"I don't think Kyla Ren would like that very much."

"Kyla Ren personally authorized me to do so."

"Oh." Ben grimaced. "Well what if you took these restraints off before you shot me?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them.

The snort of amusement sounded strange through the helmet's speakers. "I think I'll just shoot you instead."

Ben was getting very tired of being shot with stun blasts.

~

He wasn't sure how much time had passed but Hux definitely felt it when the ship dropped out of hyperspace. They must have arrived at the First Order's base of operations. The irony was not lost on him that the entire point of this mission had been to locate the base and now here they were as captives with no idea where they actually were. The Force (or whatever higher power was out there) had a strange sense of humor sometimes. Kyla Ren must have enjoyed expedited landing privileges because it wasn't much longer before he felt the ship land and the engines' dull hum was exchanged for silence. They were here.

Deep down, he could feel his previously repressed nerves begin to climb back towards the surface. This wasn't going to go well for either of them. Kyla Ren had already demonstrated that she knew he was a ranking member within the Resistance and he doubted it was much of a secret that he'd had at least some involvement in his father's death. Add all of this to his defection over fifteen years ago and, well, this was not going to be a happy homecoming. 

Two stormtroopers burst into the cell. "Get up," one of them ordered tersely.

Hux rolled his eyes, reverting back to the practiced disdain he'd attempted to leave behind. "You'll need to release my hands first, idiot."

The stormtrooper who hadn't spoken bent to release first his feet from each other and then his hands from the wall although the manacles stayed on. "Stand up," she said, yanking at his elbow and pulling him to his feet before he could even consider whether he wanted to comply immediately or to make another condescending remark.

As they escorted him from his cell, he glanced to his left and saw Ben getting a similar treatment except with more restraints and an extra pair of guards with their blasters trained on him. "It's almost as if they think you might be a threat, Solo," he drawled, hoping that Ben would pick up on the hint.

"They should have more stormtroopers here then," Ben replied in an equally condescending tone that didn't betray their relationship. "These four would just be a warm up."

"No talking," one of the troopers said, poking Ben in the back with his blaster.

"Or what? You'll stun me again and have to carry me off the ship?"

Even with the helmets, it was obvious that Ben's attitude was getting to at least some of the stormtroopers. Maybe if they got irritated enough, they'd make a mistake. All they needed was just one chance... 

That hope vanished the next second when Kyla Ren stepped out before them. "Would I present more of a challenge?"

"Depends on whether or not you're giving me back my lightsaber and making it a fair fight."

Laughter sounded strange coming from her. "You've already lost, Ben. You just don't know it yet." She turned her attention back to the stormtroopers. "Take them to the interrogation rooms. I will deal with them later." 

Rooms. That meant they would be separated again. Hux wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. As the stormtroopers half escorted, half dragged them through the base, he kept his eyes open and tried to take in as much as he could on the off chance that he ever made it out. The First Order's tendency towards clean and simple architecture hadn't changed although this base looked like it was built to be somewhat more permanent than those of his youth. Routine patrols seemed to make their way through the base's corridors and he didn't spot a single wall console like those within their commandeered headquarters on Orinda. Interesting. He wondered how long they'd been there and when the routine evacuation protocols had changed.

Hux didn't let himself turn and look at Ben but he could feel the Jedi's eyes on him. He could only hope that he wasn't being too obvious about it. It was strange... only a few years ago, he couldn't have cared less about Ben Organa Solo's fate and now he couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Ben seemed to be feeling similarly if the strange sensation he'd learned to associate with his boyfriend using the Force to reach out to him was anything to go by. Neither one of them dared to even think the words 'I love you,' with Kyla so nearby but Hux could  _ feel _ it nonetheless.  He didn't even let himself glance over at Ben once last time before they were unceremoniously shoved into separate interrogation rooms. 

This was going to make dying so much harder. 

The room was small with only a table and two chairs that he suspected were magnetically attached to the floor so they couldn't be used as weapons. One trooper secured his hands to the table before they both exited and left him alone with nothing but his thoughts and conjecture about what might happen next. 

Nothing happened. Not at first at least. Not for days. 

Hux had a theoretical knowledge of interrogation techniques. They'd been part of the standard course work for those on the accelerated officer track back at the First Order Academy. He knew precisely what they were doing and what they hoped to achieve. The sleep deprivation and denial of food and water were meant to weaken him physically while the lack of communication with any other humans was meant to make him feel isolated and alone. All of these combined together were effective first steps intended to weaken his resolve. As loathe as he was to admit it to himself... they partially worked. 

By the time the first person he'd seen in days entered the room and freed him from the restraints, he barely had the energy to stand up much less fight him. The ensign seemed to know it too. Still, that didn't stop him from savoring the first chance he'd truly had in days to stand up and stretch his legs and the other body parts that had become stiff from disuse. It was, he suspected, just a brief reprieve before they started with the next phase.

Hux raised an eyebrow as a young but very solidly built lieutenant walked into the room. Someone with only a quarter of his intellect could figure out where this was going. "Oh have we reached this part of the interrogation already? How terribly boring," he said, putting as much disinterest into his voice as he could manage. 

The lieutenant didn't bother exchanging verbal jabs but instead started the conversation with a forceful punch to Hux's gut, making him double over. That was a blow that would have hurt even he hadn't just been deprived of food and sleep for the last few days. The lieutenant didn't give him a chance to recover and hit him again and then again before grabbing at his shirt collar. "Where is the Resistance base?" Hux didn't reply and the lieutenant hit him again and repeated the question to the same results. 

After a third time, Hux managed to say, "Alderaan obviously," and partially regretted it a few seconds later. 

The questions changed but that was the only thing. Where was the Resistance base? Where was Luke Skywalker? Who led the Fleet? What had they been looking for on Orinda? What was Leia Organa's plan? Did he know the names of any Resistance agents inside the First Order? Where was the Resistance? It wasn't long before he couldn't even manage the occasional sarcastic response and could only say 'I don't know' if he said anything at all. 

"You should have talked to me," the lieutenant said, releasing him. Hux crumpled to the ground, his legs unwilling to support him. "The next person won't be as nice."

"Perhaps you should be sent back to the Academy if you think this counts as nice," Hux snapped back, dragging himself towards the nearest wall and sitting up against it. He wiped his hand across his face and was almost surprised to see blood when it came away. His lip was split, his nose was bleeding, and he could already feel the bruise that was developing across his left cheek. 

The lieutenant smirked, wiping the splatters of blood from his hands with a cloth. "I actually graduated, unlike you."

"And I was the Commandant's eldest son so let's just call that a draw."

He made a sound of amusement before asking curiously, "Are the rumors true?"

Hux shut his eyes and leaned his head back. "Which rumors?"

"That you killed Admiral Hux."

"Yes," Hux admittedly immediately, opening his eyes again to look at the lieutenant. "Is that a problem?"

The lieutenant ignored the question, curiosity clearly satisfied for the time being. "You should have just answered my questions, traitor. This could have been so much easier."

"I'm no traitor," Hux said coolly, wincing as another part of his body chose to remind him that he'd just taken a sound beating. 

The lieutenant shrugged, shook his head, and then left the room, leaving Hux alone with nothing but his thoughts and a very large amount of pain. He didn't even bother trying to stand up. It seemed like an inefficient use of energy. 

Not long after, another droid entered the room with slightly more food and water than it had brought him in the past and a change of clothes. Hux eyed the offering suspiciously but took it nonetheless. There was a chance that the water or the food might be drugged but after days of being denied both, he determined the risk was worth it. Besides, it seemed as if they were using this interrogation break as a reset of sorts. That was the only thing that could possibly explain the fresh clothes. The clothes were, he noted, the sort that were issued to stormtroopers to wear when they were off duty and barely counted as clothes at all. It gave him unfortunate flashbacks to the rare yet multiple occasions when his father had threatened to toss him into the stormtrooper program and strip him of his very identity as a person. He wondered if the choice of clothes had been deliberate and who was even left alive that could have known. Had Alys... No. He pushed that thought down. She'd been threatened with a similar fate more than once herself. He couldn't imagine a scenario in which she would have suggested this as a technique to weaken his resolve not even after... 

Hux couldn't entertain that thought any longer and instead just changed, turning his old shirt into a rag to help stop his nose from bleeding. 

He wasn't sure how much time had passed before the door opened again and he didn’t even have to look up to know who stood there. Like her cousin, Kyla Ren had a presence about her that made people notice when she entered a room. 

“Brendol Hux.”

“Kyla Ren.” Hux wasn’t the least bit surprised to see her standing just inside of the door like she was waiting for something. “Forgive me if I don’t get up. It’s been--”

He never got to finish his sentence as she grabbed him with the Force, yanked him to his feet, and then slammed him against the wall. “Not a problem.”

Hux gasped for air. She wasn’t choking him like Darth Vader had been prone to do to officers. It felt more like she was pressing the air out of him and there was nothing he could do about it. Just when he felt like he was on the verge of passing out, she relented, removing the pressure but still keeping him pinned against the wall with his feet off the floor. It was disconcerting and he hated this sense of helplessness almost as much as he’d hated not being able to breath. He couldn’t handle this lack of control. She kept him there for another long minute before relenting and freeing him. He’d never been happier to have his feet on solid ground and he just barely stopped himself from falling to his knees, instead placing his hands on them to brace himself.

Kyla watched him, clearly not oblivious to his discomfort. “Lieutenant Lon wasn’t able to get anything out of you.” Hux shrugged, not looking up. She stepped towards him, reaching out a hand and nudging his chin up so he had to look at her and tilted her head slightly to the right. "Do I scare you?"

"Yes," Hux answered frankly. 

That seemed to amuse her. "Why?"

"Because I've seen what you can do."

“And what have you seen?” Hux didn’t respond. “Answer me.”

Grudgingly, he replied, “I was on Ukio. You almost killed a member of my crew.”

“I killed a lot of people that day,” Kyla said uncaringly. “There’s more to it than that.” He couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath and it didn’t escape her notice. “There’s something else.” Hux didn’t respond immediately and she curled her hand into a fist, starting to cut off his air again. “What do you know?”

“I know quite a bit,” Hux gasped out.

She released him. “You do, don’t you? That’s why you’re here and not dead on Orinda like your compatriot.” 

Hux curled his lips into a sneer, trying to cling to something familiar to draw strength from. “I’ll tell you nothing.”

“Oh no,” Kyla said, shaking her head. “You will. You just don’t know it yet.” 

Hux could only describe what happened next as excruciating pain. He thought he knew what the Force felt like when it touched his mind. He’d been wrong. He’d only known what it was like when used by Ben in an expression of compassion. This… this took every last ounce of willpower he could muster not to scream. Kyla felt like sharp durasteel claws raking through his mind, searching for what she wanted. He tried to fight back and thought only of things that didn’t matter. He thought about Hosnian Prime and his quarters there when he’d been only a captain. He thought about the vastness of space. He thought about what a sunset on D’Qar looked like. They already knew about D’Qar. It didn’t matter anymore. 

“The Resistance base. Tell me where it is,” Kyla said simply, digging, searching. One gloved hand was placed along side his head, her thumb against his throbbing temple. 

“No,” Hux said, gritting his teeth and thinking about his quarters on the  _ Wavesong _ .

“This can be so much easier on you if you just tell me what I want.”

Hux didn’t reply. Couldn’t reply. It  _ hurt _ so damn much. He tried to keep her out but then he slipped and she found the opening that she needed and dug deeper and he screamed. 

“There it is,” she whispered with success. “You’re hiding on Aris.” The next moment, Kyla released him mentally and he slumped against the wall, almost sliding to the ground. She reached out and grabbed his shoulders, holding him up. “None of that. We’re not done yet.” 

“You have what you want,” Hux said hoarsely, unable to shake the feeling of horror over what he’d unwittingly done. 

“I only have some of what I want, Colonel Hux,” she corrected him. “You know so much more and I  _ will _ learn what Organa’s plans are. But all in good time.”

As much as everything hurt and he just wanted to curl up on the ground and give into unconsciousness, he was still surprised when she dragged him bodily from the room. In theory, it was something that she shouldn’t have been able to do so easily; not when he had a solid half foot of height on her but he was broken and she was a fallen Jedi with the Force. He only half noticed the strange looks that some of the First Order soldiers tossed his way as she pulled him through the corridor. A part of him wondered if they knew that he was Commandant Hux’s traitor son returned to the First Order only to unwittingly betray the Resistance and then to die. 

Kyla waved a hand and a door flew open and she shoved him inside. He fell in a pile at someone’s feet, never having even a hope of catching himself and maintaining some dignity. Not that he had much left at this point.

“Lady Ren,” the officer above him said in an all too familiar voice. “This is highly irregular.”

“General Hux,” Kyla replied. “I have an assignment for you.”

“I take my orders from the Fleet Admirals, not from the Knights of Ren.”

“You’ll take this one. After all, families should handle their own messes, don’t you think?”

Hux finally forced his body to cooperate enough so he could look up at Alys and her unwaveringly stoic face. Kyla was, without a doubt, enjoying this. He’d wondered why she had halted the interrogation so soon but the reason was now painfully apparent. This was going to be an entirely different form of torture.

“He’s already given up the location of their base. Find out what else he knows. Consider this an order from the Supreme Leader.”

Alys swallowed hard, not looking down at her brother. “Interrogation is not my area of expertise. If you’ve already had success, why…”

Kyla didn’t need for her to finish the sentence. “I have my own mess to deal with. Handle this, General. Or else the Supreme Leader will learn of your insubordination.” She didn’t even wait for Alys to respond before spinning on her heel, cape flaring dramatically, and exiting, the door hissing shut behind her. 

For the longest time, neither Hux sibling acknowledged the other, both struggling to overcome the shock from their present situation. Finally, Alys crouched down so she could look him in the eye. “Brendol, why?”

“You’ll have to be more specific,” Hux rasped out, doing his best to not give in to the urge to collapse back to the ground again. 

Swearing under her breath, she grabbed his arms and pulled him with her as she stood up again. Carefully, she helped him into one of the room’s two chairs, wincing as she got the full view of the damage Lieutenant Lon had done to him. “You look terrible.”   


“I’ve been tortured for several days now. How did you expect me to look?” Hux snapped even as he gratefully accepted the canteen of water she handed him.

Alys sat in the other chair and exhaled. “I didn’t know.” He looked at her questioningly. “I didn’t know it was you here. I’d heard that Kyla Ren had brought back two high-ranking Resistance prisoners and that one of them might be Organa Solo but I didn’t know the other person was you. Reige said… I thought he was drunk and delusional.”

Hux shook his head, setting the empty container down. “Trust me when I say that I’d rather not be here.”

“I wish you weren’t either,” Alys said bluntly. Hux raised a questioning eyebrow or at least he tried to. “Because you’re a test, Bren!” she exclaimed. “I’d just worked my way free from the exile that Father forced me into and now Kyla Ren has dumped you before me and if I don’t get any information from you, it’ll be a mark against me. Again.”

“You can’t have fallen that far,” Hux pointed out. “You were a Lieutenant Colonel when I saw you last and now you’re a General. That doesn’t just happen.”

Her blue eyes narrowed. “You’re right, it doesn’t. Thousands of good officers had to die on Starkiller Base when your people blew it up.”

“Oh don’t start, Alys,” Hux said, face contorting into a still recognizable expression of disgust. “Your Supreme Leader struck first when he ordered the destruction of the Hosnian System. Billions of people died.”

“I--” she broke off. “That’s not the point. Your presence here is going to get me killed.”

“That will make two of us then!” 

Silence hung over them again before Alys sighed and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Tell me what I need to know and maybe I can help you.”

He snorted, a sound of disbelief. “You want me to throw away my beliefs and my principles for a mere chance that I might live? Forgive me if I don’t jump at  _ that _ opportunity, little sister.” 

“You’ve thrown them away before for less.”

Hux clenched his jaw. “Don’t act as if they’re comparable.”

Alys stood up, frustration apparent across her features. “I won’t. What you’ve done is worse.” He shrugged, wincing as it the gesture strained a muscle he hadn’t realized that he had. She stepped out of the room for a minute before returning with two stormtroopers and some other lower ranking officer who seemed to have been off the same assembly line as Lon. At a gesture, the stormtroopers each took an arm and yanked him to his feet again while the other man took up a position near by, not impeding his view of his sister. Alys stood before him, feet firmly planted and hands behind her back in parade rest. “What is the Resistance planning?”

“To stop the First Order,” Hux said.

“I need specifics.”

“I won’t give them to you.” He hadn’t noticed that the officer had pulled out a shock baton until it jabbed into his side and he yelped.  

Alys didn’t even blink. “Who commands the Resistance’s Fleet?” 

“No.” That time, he managed to bite back the sound of pain. Almost.

“Who does Organa rely on?”

“No.” Another electric shock. Another poorly suppressed sound of pain.

He wasn’t sure whether it was intentional since she seemed to be as surprised by this order to interrogate him but most of the questions she asked were akin to what Lieutenant Lon’s had been. Hux had no smart remarks left in him though. All he could do was shake his head and deny everything as his own sister supervised and participated in his interrogation.

Finally, she raised a hand, stopping the entire repetitious process, and gestured for them to step back even as she moved forward. “You have to give me something, Brendol,” Alys said quietly. “I can’t leave until you do. This can’t stop until you do. I can’t help you until you do.”

“I…” Hux wavered. He wanted to be the man who remained loyal to the last; who would give the enemy nothing even if it cost him his life. But Kyla Ren had already extracted the base’s location from him and she’d used one of his few weaknesses against him. He’d thought that he’d moved on and accepted that Alys was a part of his past. He’d never anticipated seeing her again much less like this. This hurt almost as much as the physical torture and he was exhausted and drained. Resistance took energy and willpower and he was running rapidly low on both. “Alys, I can’t,” he whispered.

“You have to,” Alys implored, too quiet for the others to hear. “Just tell me something of use and this can all stop for now.”

And then he broke. Again. Not entirely but just enough for a feeling of guilt to flood through him. Kyla Ren had already ripped the base’s location from his head and now he was telling them that, “Ackbar and Antilles.”

“What about them?” she asked almost eagerly.

“They’re in charge of the Resistance’s Fleet. All of it,” he said emotionlessly, not looking at her.

There was a pause before Alys straightened back up. “Ackbar and Antilles. Good. We can use that. Ren will be pleased with this.” She looked over at the troopers. “You can take him back to his cell.”

The officer who’d been poking him with a shock baton frowned at her. “General, are you sure?”

“I will not repeat myself, Ensign,” Alys snapped, looking every inch a ranking officer. “It is not your place to question the orders of a superior officer.”

The ensign ducked his head apologetically. “Of course, ma’am.” He snapped his fingers and the two stormtroopers yanked Hux back to his feet, being none too gentle about the newly acquired burns.

“Wait. Bren.” He turned to look at her over his shoulder, the stormtroopers pausing as they reached the doorway. Alys swallowed hard, looking vulnerable that he’d ever recalled seeing her. “I need to know. Did you kill him?”

He didn’t have to ask who she meant. “Yes,” Hux said bluntly. “And I’d do it again.”

She didn’t respond to him, only to the stormtroopers. “Take him away. Now.”

As the stormtroopers half escorted, half dragged him back through the corridors, Hux couldn’t stop the feelings of guilt and despair. True, he’d managed to hold out for several days but the First Order now knew the location of the Resistance base and he didn’t know if he’d held out for long enough. He didn’t know what they’d do when they got to Aris and he didn’t know what they’d be able to do with the knowledge of who commanded the Fleet because he’d given into the interrogation by his sister who likely no longer truly cared if he lived or died. 

For the first time in a very long time, Brendol Hux felt broken and alone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter needs another content warning for some torture although I don't think it is quite as bad as last time. Regardless things are still a little rough for Ben and Hux. I'm a little bit sorry.
> 
> Also, in case anyone's wondering, editing a chapter and then formatting and posting it to Ao3 on a train's crummy wifi and on your tablet is not fun. 0/10 do not recommend.

"Comfortable?"

Ben cracked his eyes open to see almost nothing but Kyla Ren's mask. "Not really," he said, voice sounding strange from disuse.

"Good." 

Kyla stepped back, letting Ben take in his surroundings. They were precisely the same as they'd been for three days now. He tried to move his limbs but found them still restrained by whatever this stupid chair was. He wasn’t sure if this was any better than the physical torture the First Order had initially subjected him to. The repetition was what he hated most; it was almost enough to make him want to turn to the dark side like she wanted just so they could stop fighting the same mental battles. "You could always let me out and we can settle this with lightsabers."

She laughed, sounding smugger than she had. "And why would I do that?"

"Well we seem to disagree pretty violently about a few thing so--"

"The Supreme Leader has plans for you," Kyla broke in. "They don’t involve us dueling. Not right now at least."

"Yeah. Sure," Ben said resignedly. "Look, can we just get this over with?"

"Did you have somewhere else to be?"

"Yeah. Home."

There was no further warning before Kyla began her mental attack and Ben almost didn't get his own shields up in time. Maybe he shouldn't taunt his cousin like that when she was holding him prisoner but his brain wasn't exactly firing on all cylinders anymore. Fighting Kyla on the mental plane was strange. It defied the laws of physics and made him feel like he was floating through space on spice. As painful as the memories now were, he shoved everything he could remember about their childhoods towards the front and buried everything related to the Resistance and Hux as far back as he could manage. She was relentless in her attacks but he could sense that days of this were starting to take their toll on her too. Clearly she had become too unused to losing ever since she'd put the mask on. 

They were both breathing heavily from exertion when she broke away. Frustrated, Kyla reached up and released the catch on her helmet, pulling it off and slamming it down. "Why won't you just tell me what I want to know?" she demanded. 

Ben shrugged, the movement awkward thanks to the restraints. "Didn't want to make it easy on you." 

"You can't last like this forever," Kyla said, her accent still a clipped Coruscanti one like her mother’d had. He'd always thought it was funny that Rey'd never lost it; not even after her mother had died and she'd started spending all of her time with him and Luke. "I'll win. You know I will."

"I'm not telling you where the base is."

"You don't need to. I already know."

Ben felt his stomach drop. Clearly Kyla could sense his apprehension through the Force judging by her eyes. "You're lying." 

"Am I?"

"You're not going to trick me into telling you like this, Kyla."

"Why would I need to trick you when I know your little group is on Aris?" Ben couldn't stop the feeling of dread that washed over him and she smirked. "I hardly needed the confirmation but thank you."

"How?" he asked, anger building within him as he considered the possibilities.

"You have no idea how helpful your little soldier friend was. How useful he still might be. All I had to do was..." She raised her hand, fingers somewhat curled, and twisted her wrist.

His reaction was raw, instinctual. "If you've hurt him--"

"So. He's more to you than just some common soldier," Kyla said, dropping her hand back to her side. "I thought I sensed something more when I was in his mind. You care about him. That’s a pity." 

Ben lurched forward, trying to break free from his restraints. “Don’t you kriffing  _ dare _ \--”

She turned her back to him, stepping away. “That’s up to you, cousin. Tell me what I need to know or he may be deemed expendable. The Supreme Leader doesn’t need him. Only you.” 

Ben didn’t think. That was his problem half the time: not thinking. Everyone always told him that but in that moment, he couldn’t think. All he could do was act and rage fueled him. His lightsaber hung beside Kyla’s on her belt and flew towards into his hand with a thought. By the time she whirled around, he’d freed himself with just a few cuts of the blade. He didn’t know how long this resurgence of strength would last. It didn’t matter. He just had to stop her before she could follow through on her threat. 

He swung the green blade down only to find his movement stopped by some invisible Force. Kyla’s hand was outstretched, eyes narrowed in concentration. “You think you can beat me?”

“I taught you how to do this!” Ben scoff, trying to rein in his rage and concentrate enough to use the Force to free himself. Fighting her was hard at the best of times but he was tired and angry and he couldn’t think straight.

“But you don’t know the power of the dark side. You don’t know how to use it. Not like I do.”

Ben gritted his teeth, a retort on the tip of his tongue when two stormtroopers burst into the room with blasters at the ready and broke his concentration. That was all it took. In that instant, Kyla ignited her own lightsaber and swung it down. It was as if he was watching from outside of his body as the red blade sliced through skin and bone and the limb hit the floor with a dull thud, lightsaber deactivating. Eyes wide, he stared at the space where his right arm had once been and then the world came rushing back, a sensation of pain like he’d never felt before right with it, and he collapsed, not knowing if he’d actually screamed or not. 

Kyla Ren stood over him, features impassive. “You could have stood beside me and embraced the power of the dark side but instead… you choose this. You choose to be weak.” She extinguished her lightsaber, returning it to her belt “I was ordered to bring you to the Supreme Leader alive but he said nothing about whether you had to be in one piece.” He tried to form his lips into some response but no words came out. “Take him away,” she ordered the stormtroopers. 

Ben only somewhat heard the words before he gave into the sweet bliss of unconsciousness.  

~

"Brendol, wake up."

The first thing Hux noticed when he jerked awake at the whispered sound of his name was the hand on his mouth. Every instinct told him that this was how he was going to die and he swung wildly, trying to avoid that fate for even a minute longer.

"Bren, it's me!"

Hux checked himself mid swing and narrowed his eyes, trying to make out his sister's features in the dim lighting. "Alys?"

"Who else calls you Bren?" she asked irritatedly. 

"No one," he answered cautiously. "What is this?"

Alys rocked back to sit on her heels. "I had to talk to you."

"After our last meeting went so well?"

"I had to talk to you without anyone else knowing." He glanced up meaningfully towards his cell's cameras and she shook her head. "It's showing looped footage for the next hour and I disabled the audio."

He kept his expression neutral. "So you say."

She frowned. "Why would I lie?" Hux gave her a withering look and she turned away almost immediately. "What happened before... I didn't want to... I'm sorry."

"I'm sure," he said acidly, sitting up on the uncomfortable cot. 

There was a long pause before she shifted to sit beside him, left thumb rubbing at her index finger, a nervous habit she'd had since they were children. "Mother doesn't know," she finally said. Hux didn't ask her to elaborate, waiting for her to do so in her own time. "She doesn't know that you're here and I kept all of the rumors about you being the one to kill Father away from her or at least I tried. After what happened to our brother, I don't think she could take it."

Despite himself, Hux asked, "What happened?"

"Starkiller," she answered simply. She didn't need to say anything else. 

"Oh." Hux just felt numb. He supposed that he should feel sad about the death of a sibling but it had been so long since he'd even given his younger brother so much as a thought that any sort of grief would feel disingenuous.

Alys stared into the distance. "I probably would have been there too if Father hadn't stripped me of my command after everything with you last year."

"I’m glad that you weren’t but why are you here?" he asked bluntly, gesturing towards his small cell.

She shook her head, still not looking at him. “I don’t… I don’t know why I’m here. Nothing makes sense anymore, Bren. Not like it used to. Before Starkiller. Before Father. Before you left me.” Hux frowned, trying to read between the lines. This was very unlike the sister that he remembered; that he thought he knew. Before he could say anything, she abruptly changed the topic. “I never told anyone, you know. About you and Organa Solo. I should have but I didn’t.”

“Why not?”

“You just seemed… happy. Like you loved him.”

“I do,” Hux said, the admission coming more easily to his lips than he’d ever expected.

"I didn't want to take that from you and it felt like... it felt like telling Father or anyone here would have done that in a strange way."

He tried to keep his voice steady. "Is he still alive?" Alys nodded. "Good."

"He's been interrogated as well. There's not much else I could learn without raising any red flags within our computer systems."

"I see," Hux said carefully. It bothered him that she would barely even look at him. Nothing about this situation was normal and yet something felt even more off than it should. "Not that I don't appreciate a conversation that isn't based in wringing information from me but this must be more than what you pretend. You know something."

"Nothing's for sure yet," Alys said. "But there has been talk of using you as a public example of what happens to traitors."

He kept his expression absolutely blank. This was hardly surprising but actually hearing it spoken made it seem more real somehow. "And so you're here to clear your conscience before they execute me. How charming."

"That's not--"

"At least have the decency to look at me when you tell me that you intend to stand by and watch me die," he interrupted her. 

That seemed to shame her enough to look up and finally meet his eyes. "I can't stop them, Bren. I'm just a soldier.”

“No one is  _ just _ a soldier with general stripes on their arm,” he said cooly.

“I am when Kyla Ren is around. This isn't like your little Resistance where everyone holds hands and has a say before you vote on every last decision.” 

His laugh was humorless. “If that’s how you think Leia Organa runs things than no wonder the First Order is losing.” 

“What do you expect me to do?” she demanded. 

“I expect nothing from you anymore, little sister.”

“I don't have a choice. If I help you, they’ll kill me too.”

Hux shook his head. “Everyone always has a choice, Alys. I made one when I left this place. You made one when you stayed. You could have left with me and we could have gone anywhere. We could have left all of this behind and found a planet where they’d never even heard of the First Order or the New Republic. But you stayed and now we find ourselves here. Because we each made a choice.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Don't you dare place the blame for this on me!”

“I place blame nowhere. I just remind you that you still have a choice.”

“You’re delusional.”

Exhausted, Hux sighed resignedly. “Think what you will, Alys, but I won’t continue this conversation with you any longer. Leave me alone. I’d like to get some sleep before the interrogation continues.”

Clearly irritated, Alys stood up. “Fine. If I don’t see you again before it happens, I’ll tell Mother you sent your respect and regards.”

Hux didn’t respond, too annoyed to even though there was every chance that he might never see her again. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at her and only heard her sigh and exit the room, leaving him alone in the dark.

Sleep didn’t come back to him easily. 

He found it strange that they mostly left him alone that day. Time was tricky to track without any daylight or chronos but he reckoned that this had been the longest they’d left him alone. It almost made him feel like a normal prisoner and not one who they intended on interrogating further and then executing. He supposed that he might as well enjoy the relative peace and quiet as it was highly preferable to being tortured. 

Boredom had just about set in when the door hissed opened for the second time that day but didn’t admit another droid like he’d expected. Instead, his sister stood in the doorway, general’s uniform perfectly pressed and not a hair out of place. She barely looked at him as she stepped inside, instead glancing over her shoulder at whoever guarded the door.  “Come in here,” Alys ordered the stormtrooper, tone a practiced mix of arrogance and disinterest as the door hissed shut. If Hux had blinked, he would have missed Alys drawing her blaster and pointing it at the armored trooper. “Put your hands in the air and turn around slowly, trooper.”

Even as he complied, the trooper asked, “General?”

“Take your armor off,” Alys said firmly, neither hand nor tone wavering. “I will not repeat myself.”

Methodically, the stormtrooper began taking off the white armor plates, stacking them neatly as he undoubtedly had done every day for over a decade. The entire process took more minutes than Hux had expected but then again, he’d never personally observed it. He jumped in shock when, not five seconds after the last piece was laid down, Alys fired her blaster and the stormtrooper crumpled to the ground.

“That wasn’t a stun blast,” Hux observed.

“Correct,” Alys said, unwrapping the package she’d held tucked under her arm and revealing a black undersuit like the now dead stormtrooper wore. “Put this on and then his armor.”

“Was that necessary?”

She shrugged. “He was just a stormtrooper. Leaving him merely unconscious wasn’t worth the risk. Not if you want to get out of here alive.”

Hux frowned even as he started to attach the armor plates, starting with the thighs. “You’re helping me escape.”

“Consider it a fit of madness,” Alys said with a little shake of her head, dragging the dead stormtrooper over to the cot, hiding his head beneath the sheet to try and disguise that he looked nothing like her brother. “You’ll need to dress faster.”

“This isn’t exactly easy, you know,” he replied irritatedly. “Care to help?”

“I am helping,” she muttered before standing to assist with the back plate, an odd mirror to how he’d helped Ben and Myri dress what had it been? A week ago? “We have two hours to get you out of here before the Supreme Leader arrives and sneaking you out will be impossible.”

Hux frowned again, pulling on the left forearm piece. “What about Ben?”

“What about him?”

“I’m not leaving without him,” Hux said firmly.

“I’m risking my life and my career just helping you,” Alys said coolly. “Your… friend has Kyla Ren’s complete attention. The Supreme Leader’s too. It would be suicide to try and extract him too.”

“He’s worth the risk.”

Stepped towards him, she narrowed her eyes. “I’m only helping you because you’re my brother. I won’t court treason twice over.”

“If I escape, you’ll be the first one they’ll turn their sights on. Help me save Ben and come with us.”

“And then where? To the Resistance?” she scoffed.

“To the Resistance and then to wherever you want. I’ll protect you, just like I always did,” Hux promised her with all the sincerity he could muster, blue eyes locking with blue eyes. 

Alys half-whispered, wavering, “But you left me, Bren.”

“I won’t leave you this time,” he swore. “Just help me save him.”

She hesitated, eyes darting from side to side as she considered it before her hands came up to rub her temples and she straightened. “I cannot believe I’m agreeing to this. Put your helmet on and follow me.”

Hux was grateful that the white armored dome hid his smile. 

As they marched through the halls, Hux did his best to mimic the undistinctive walk of a stormtrooper, keeping a respectful distance behind General Alys Hux. She led him not to another cell but up one level, reading her datapad all the while. He wasn’t sure whether she’d had a plan from the onset or if she was making it up entirely as they went along but either way, she looked as confident and assured as always.

“Open the door,” she ordered the stormtrooper who stood guard.

Immediately the stormtrooper snapped to attention. “Of course, General!”

She waited until he’d followed instructions before shaking her head. “Unacceptable.”

“Ma’am?” he asked curiously.

“Your function is to guard this door and you don’t even check my credentials before opening it? That’s poor security practice. What’s your operating number?”

“JH-1223.”

“JH-1223. Report to Captain Phasma’s division for reconditioning immediately. RK-3472 will take over here.” The stormtrooper didn’t move immediately and she raised her voice. “I said  _ immediately _ , JH-1223!”

The stormtrooper barely managed to salute before scurrying off. Hux raised an eyebrow even though she couldn’t see it. “I see Father’s officer voice lessons stuck.”

“Of course they did,” Alys said irritatedly. “Two doors down, there should be a storage room with a transportation crate. Get the largest one they have.”

It seemed like she was enjoying ordering him around a little bit too much but Hux supposed he didn’t really have any grounds for complaint given their current situation. By the time he’d retrieved the crate and pushed it into the now unguarded room, she was muttering swears as the hospital bed’s occupant struggled even as she tried to undo his restraints. Hux knew that mop of black hair anywhere. He yanked his helmet off and pushed his way forward. “Ben, it’s me.”

Ben’s brow furrowed and he froze. “Hux? You’re not dead?”

“Not unless someone’s neglected to inform me,” he replied, nodding for Alys to go ahead and return to freeing him from the restraints. “We’re here to rescue you.”

“I thought it was my job to rescue you,” he murmured. 

“Maybe next time,” Hux replied before frowning as he caught sight of the amputated limb, noting that at least it was neatly bandaged. “What happened?”

Ben avoided looking at it. “Kyla.”

“Discuss this later, perhaps?” Alys suggested, clipped tone betraying her nerves. “Ren’s in a conference with the Admirals. It won’t last much longer.”

He squinted. “You’re Hux’s sister, right?”

“Who else would be stupid enough to help you two?”

“We can bicker about this later,” Hux cut in, helping Ben up and off the bed. “What is your plan?”

She nodded towards the container. “He goes in there.”

“I’m not going to fit in there,” Ben said.

“It’s your only option,” Alys snapped. “No one will believe a stormtrooper with just one arm.”

Ben turned towards Hux. “I can definitely tell she’s your sister.”

“Just do what she says,” Hux said, too exhausted to argue. 

The Jedi looked like he wanted to argue more but didn’t. “I need a hand,” he said, pausing before glancing down at his missing arm and snickering. “And some help too.” 

“Trust you to crack horrible jokes in a time like this,” Hux muttered, assisting his boyfriend with climbing into the crate. It was, without a doubt, a very tight fit and but somehow, he was able to place the lid on lightly without it popping off and push it on its repulsorlifts out of the medical bay, following Alys again.

Everything was going too smoothly. Hux didn’t trust any mission that went to smoothly much less an escape from a guarded facility. Alys’s general’s stripes were impressive but they weren’t quite that impressive.

The hammer fell as they reached the docking bay. 

“Sorry, General, but I can’t let you proceed,” a captain said apologetically, stopping them just inside the doors.

Alys frowned. “Unacceptable, Captain.”

“We have orders from the very top to not let any ships depart until further notice.”

“And I need to return to my ship which leaves us at odds. Step aside, Captain.”

Slowly, Hux dropped his hand to the blaster at his side, ready for trouble. 

That trouble came a moment later. “Then I’ll have to detain you, General,” the captain said apologetically, waving his stormtrooper escort forward. Neither Hux sibling gave them a chance, drawing their weapons and firing. The stormtrooper dropped first and then the captain. 

Hux knocked the lid off the storage container even as Alys bent to retrieve the datapad from the captain’s hand. “Can you walk?” he asked Ben, helping him out.

“I could fight a rancor right now, if that’s what it took,” Ben said, seemingly as weary as him despite the bravado of his words. “Give me a blaster.”

Hux frowned. “You’re not left handed.”

“Well I’m definitely not right handed either,” he cracked with a self-deprecating grin. “I probably still shoot better than these guys.” 

“Stop flirting and secure the hangar bay doors!” Alys snapped at them. 

It was telling that not even Ben offered up a smart remark, merely moving towards the door and training his blaster on the approaching hallway. That left Hux to work on the controls. He wasn't particularly gifted with electronics but he suspected that he could at least manage to jam the doors. “Alys, I need your--” He didn't even have to finish his sentence before she tossed her identicard at him, already going through the hangar’s ship inventory. The First Order hadn't changed their computer systems much in the last twenty years. It didn't take long to lock the doors so they would require a high ranking officer to even challenge her authorization. Hux passed the card back to his sister who took it without looking at him. “Ben, you can--”

Apparently no one felt the need for him to finish any sentences today. Ben blasted the locking mechanism. “Done.” 

“We’ll take the shuttle on the far left,” Alys said. “It’s fueled and has weapons.” 

“We better hurry,” Ben interjected tersely. “They’re coming.” 

Hux asked, “How many?”

“Twenty maybe?” 

“Let’s move!” Alys ordered, breaking into a run. 

The ship’s boarding ramp was down and all three of them sprinted up it. Hux let them both enter the cockpit before he did, taking the opportunity to remove his helmet and some of the armor. Even with one hand, Ben knew ships better than either of them and Alys’s credentials, assuming they hadn't been revoked within the system yet, would be key. 

“No, the other one,” Ben said, moving like he was going to slap a controller before remembering that he didn't have that hand anymore. “Kriffing hell, this--”

“Can you even fly like this?” Alys asked him, cutting off his anger.

“Just watch me,” he replied with that cocky Solo grin. 

Alys turned towards Hux, clearly exasperated. “He’s going to get us both killed.”

Hux shrugged. “I was going to die anyways.”

“One of you had better take the gunner’s seat,” Ben interrupted. “Kyla’s on her way down and this ship needs more time to warm up.”

Silently, Hux slid into the indicated chair, trying to familiarize himself with the targeting system as fast as he could. He knew his way around a blaster but this was far more complicated and he had decidedly less practice. 

The ship’s engines began to hum to life and Ben frowned at the display. “The hangar bay’s still shielded.”

“I’m working on it,” Alys replied tersely, going back and forth between the ship’s controls and the captain’s datapad.

Any retort Ben had been planning was abruptly cut off as the hangar door began to tremble thanks to what he suspected was repeat cannonfire. It took only half a dozen blasts before it gave in and stormtroopers swarmed into the docking bay. Immediately, Hux began laying down suppressing fire, not aiming particularly well but trying to keep them as far back from the ship as possible. To his credit, he did hit some of the stormtroopers but with so many targets, it would have been near impossible not to.

The ship shakily rose into the air, Ben clearly not used to flying with just one hand. “It’s now or never,” the Jedi said, steering them towards the exit. “Kyla’s too close. We have to leave now.”

“It’s just about… there!” Alys exclaimed. “We’re clear!”

“Hit the thrusters! Fifty percent,” Ben said. She hit the indicated controls and the ship immediately took off out of the hangar bay faster than any ship Hux could ever recall being on and then rocketed upwards. “Start plotting us a jump to lightspeed.”

“Where to?” Alys asked.

“Anywhere! Hux, do you see the--”

“On them,” he replied grimly, spotting the blips on his targeting screen that represented a squadron of TIE fighters. They’d deployed far faster than he would have expected.

Whether it was a testament to Ben’s Skywalker or Solo genetics, Hux couldn’t say but he didn’t think that anyone else could have made a ship fly quite like that given the circumstances. It was hardly the smoothest flight nor was he evading laser fire quite as deftly as usual but Ben Organa Solo was a damn good pilot even with one hand. 

As they reached the darkness of space, there was a sharp intake of breath from all of them as they spotted the two star destroyers in orbit. “Alys…” Ben started to say.

“Just get a little further from the planet and we can make the jump,” she promised him.

“You make it sound so easy,” Ben grumbled. “Hux, are you actually shooting or are you napping over there?”

“Not all of us can be gifted in the physical act of war,” Hux snapped back, trying to get a lock on a particularly good TIE pilot. 

He ignored him. “I need more speed!”

“This isn’t a racing ship,” Alys reminded him, adding more power to the engines. “She won’t last much longer at this speed.”

“She doesn’t need to,” Ben replied grimly, racing towards the two ships and slipping between them despite the odds. “Is this far enough?”

Her only response was to say, “Making the jump to lightspeed in three… two… one…”

The stars around them elongated first into lines and then into a white-blue tunnel, leaving the First Order behind.

As they made the jump to hyperspace, Hux let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. They’d made it. Any sense of relief vanished a moment later as Ben’s shoulders slumped forward. He looked worse than Hux felt and with good reason. 

“Go,” Alys said simply, nodding towards the back of the ship. “I’ll keep an eye up here.”

Hux merely nodded in response, pulling Ben to his feet and slinging his remaining good arm around his own shoulders for support. “Come on. This ship should have medical supplies.”

“That can grow back my arm?”

“Unlikely,” Hux said, simultaneously resisting the urge to roll his eyes and wince from pain as Ben’s weight made an armor plate rest too heavily on a particularly bad bruise. 

Ben noticed. “You’re hurt too.”

“I’ll be fine,” Hux waved him off, helping him into the ship’s stark sleeping quarters. “Lie down. I’ll be back in a moment.”

It only took a few false starts to locate the ship’s small yet well stocked medical bin. There wasn’t much variety but there also wasn’t much that he could do with his very limited field medical knowledge. Somehow, they hadn’t included ‘limb amputated by lightsaber’ in the course on common medical injuries that a soldier might endure on the battlefield. 

Ben was already sprawled on one of the bunks, looking like all of the adrenaline was drained from him. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t know,” Hux answered truthfully, sitting on the edge of the bunk besides him and cleaning the cauterized wound and injecting it with an antibiotic just to be safe. “You told Alys to take us anywhere.”

“Right,” he replied, wincing at the painkiller needle’s prick. “We have to get ahold of Mom. Or Dad actually. He’ll be easier to find. Send a message to--”

“I know,” Hux cut him off. “Through one of his smuggler allies. I did pay attention during the briefings.”

“Okay,” Ben said, seeming to relax a little. “Hard part’s over, I know.” His brown eyes seemed to go out of focus for a moment before they narrowed. “You should use some of these drugs on yourself.”

Hux waved him off. “Maybe later. One of us needs to be awake right now and you need sleep.”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed a little too amicably, the painkillers clearly starting to take affect.

Reaching out to brush hair from his boyfriend’s forehead, Hux took a moment to be grateful that they were, by some miracle, both still alive. It seemed almost surreal after spending days convinced that his death was only a matter of time. It was in that moment that both clarity and certainty hit him and he leaned forward and whispered, “Yes, by the way.”

“Yes what?” Ben asked groggily.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“Oh.” The words appeared to need a few moments to sink in and then he smiled broadly. “Good. Took you long enough. C’mere and kiss me.” Hux complied readily enough, leaning down and kissing Ben briefly. “You have really bad timing.”

The corner of Hux’s mouth twitched upwards for a moment. “I know. Get some rest, Ben.”

For once, he didn’t argue but merely said, “Okay,” and closed his eyes, giving in to sleep. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. Okay. This one was a tricky one to write despite one of the scenes basically coming to me in a spark of inspiration and being keyboard smashed at my phone at 2am.

It was two days before they reached the Resistance and Hux wasn't even quite sure where they were. His messages exchanged with command had been short and to the point, communicating only what was necessary prior to their return. Making contact had been a mild ordeal even with his knowledge of message protocols. Talon Karrde was a cautious man even by smuggler standards. Eventually they had met up with one another in orbit around Nar Shaddaa. Alys had been less than pleased to be even near that smuggler’s den.

She'd been even less pleased when Karrde had cleared his throat and casually mentioned the subject of payment. "I thought you Resistance types were all about sacrificing everything for the cause."

"I am a businessman first and foremost," Karrde had corrected her. "And most certainly not a member of Leia's group. As esteemed as your mother is," he’d added with a nod to Ben, “we’re not a charity organization.”

Hux had just barely refrained from rolled his eyes. "Take the ship."

Alys had whirled around. "What? Brendol, that's my--"

"Not now, Alys," he'd cut her off, already starting to prepare himself for what he knew had to come next.

Obviously irritated, she'd fallen silent nonetheless and wait until later to hiss, “Don’t forget your promise,” in his ear.

He hadn’t forgotten.

Karrde didn't personally take them to the new Resistance base but given that it was his second-in-command and long time partner Shada D'ukal in the pilot's seat, he might as well have. In the time since their escape, both he and Ben had started to recover from their injuries but were both still definitely in need of bacta and more legitimate medical attention than Karrde’s group could provide. Time could do nothing for Ben's severed arm although Karrde had murmured something about perhaps having a lead on a prosthesis for a decent price. 

It wasn't a large group who greeted them when they arrived on the new base. Apparently Leia had kept the news close to the chest and was attempting to pass this off as just another supply run. Shada led the way down the boarding ramp, thumbs hooked casually into her gun belt as she glanced around for whoever would be supervising the cargo offloading. Ben and Hux came next with Alys lingering a few paces behind them. Karrde had provided them all with a change of clothes and she seemed to feel distinctly uncomfortable out of uniform. 

He'd only seen General Organa be so emotional once before and that was when he'd been present when Luke Skywalker had returned. She met them not six steps from the boarding ramp, concern evident in her eyes as she pulled her son into a tight hug without a word. "I knew you weren't dead," she finally whispered.

"Hey Mom, it's okay," Ben said, voice choked up. "We made it back. Just not in one piece."

"That's not funny, Ben," Leia said, pulling back a little so she could look up at him.

He ducked his head and looked away. "I know."

Hux didn't have a chance to watch anymore of the family reunion before he heard the sound of his own name being called. “Hux!” Kalin dodged around the Organas and hugged him tightly as if she wasn't sure he was really there. 

After a pause, he returned the hug, considering a few responses before going with, "You weren't concerned, were you?" and regretting it almost immediately.

"Of course I was!" Kalin said indignantly. "Why wouldn't I be after--"

"I'm sorry," Hux apologized almost immediately. "It's been a long few weeks."

Kalin shook her head a little as she stepped back. "No, it's okay. I'm just glad you're here and alive. We all are." Both eyebrows shot up as she caught sight of Alys. "Is this..."

A strange feeling washed over him as he took a step back and gestured for his sister to step forward so he could make an introduction he'd never thought he would make. "Alys, this is Kalin Werth. She was my aide for a number of years. Kalin, this is my sister Alys Hux. She's the only reason why Ben and I are even here."

The two women stared at each other, seeming to size the other up before Kalin extended her hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Alys said cautiously, shaking her hand. 

"Will you be on base long?"

Alys shook her head. "Only as long as I have to. I'd like to disappear sooner rather than later and not make a target out of myself."

There was no further chance for conversation as Leia released her son so her husband to embrace him and stepped towards them. "I'm relieved to see you as well, Hux."

"Thank you, ma'am," Hux said with a nod as she patted his arm. 

Leia turned her attention to his sister and Kalin took a step backwards. "You must be his sister, Alys. I'm Leia Organa."

"I know who you are, General," Alys said tersely, body language like that of a lothcat who felt trapped. 

"Of course you do." Leia smiled tightly. "I'd like to thank you for helping my son and your brother escape from Snoke and the First Order. They would still be held prisoner or worse if it hadn't been for your assistance." 

"I didn't do it for your son," Alys said bluntly. "Brendol was just very insistent." 

Out of the corner of his eye, Hux spotted Cracken and two well armed Intelligence agents heading towards them and he felt his stomach drop. A part of him had known this was coming since before they'd even left the First Order's base. He'd known and accepted that this was the best scenario for everyone involved but it didn’t mean he was ready for it.

Leia was clearly expecting them. "Regardless, you still have my thanks. Please understand that I take no pleasure in what we now have to do."

Alys's eyes narrowed and then widened as she caught sight of the armed agents. Automatically, her hand reached for the blaster that no longer hung at her side and she whirled around to face him. "Brendol, what the hell is this?"

"I'm sorry, little sister," Hux said, grasping his wrist behind his back and failing to keep his expression as stoic as he would have preferred. “We can’t just let you leave, not while the war continues.”

“You think that I would actually go back there? Ren would kill me!”

“The First Order is more than the Knights of Ren. We both know this.”

Alys lunged towards him and both agents immediately leveled their blasters at her. Hux held up a hand, never taking his eyes from hers. There was no avoiding the betrayal and anger and hurt radiating from her. “I gave up  _ everything _ to save you!  _ Everything. _ And this-- this is how you--  _ you promised me, Bren!” _

Hux swallowed hard, forcing himself not to step back even as her words made him want to turn away. “We don’t have a choice, Alys.”

“Everyone always has a choice,” Alys threw his own words back in his face. “Or do we only have choices when it’s convenient for you?”

Leia stepped forward, far shorter than either sibling but her presence demanded their attention and Hux gratefully took a step back. “You will not be harmed while within the Resistance’s custody. Cooperate and we will grant you every courtesy.”

Alys’s expression twisted into one of disdain. “Except my freedom.”

“Yes,” Leia said bluntly, not blinking. “Not until the war is over or until we’re sure of your loyalties.”

“Loyalties.” She let out a sound of dark amusement and directed her next words at her brother. “As if you even know what that means.”

“Alys, I--”

Turning away and towards the agents, she drew herself up, posture military perfect. “Let’s get this over with.”

Cracken stepped forward, putting stuncuffs on her wrists. “General Alys Hux, you are being detained under the articles of war as outlined in the constitution of the New Republic.”

Hux looked away, unable to make himself watch as Cracken continued and the agents escorted her away. Even after all those years, he still knew her well enough to recognize the hurt within her eyes and her words echoed in his mind.. No one spoke although he felt Ben’s tentative mental touch through the Force. Finally, Leia cleared her throat and reached out to rest a hand on his arm. “Hux, I know that this must be--”

“With all due respect, ma’am,” Hux interrupted her curtly, “don’t.”

Leia seemed to take no offense and pulled her hand back. “Doctor Kalonia needs to examine both of you,” she said, looking at both him and Ben now. “I trust that Karrde checked you both thoroughly for any tracers--”

“Too thoroughly,” Ben muttered.

“--but you both look worse for the wear.”

“General, what about our debriefing?” Hux asked. Beside him, Kalin rolled her eyes.

“Your debriefing can wait,” Leia said firmly. “Bacta tanks first.”

~

It was incredible what even a few hours in a bacta tank could do. While the aches would linger and he would likely have more than a few scars to remember the experience, the bacta had helped his body heal far faster than it could have on its own. It could do nothing, however, for the pain within his heart.

No matter what he did, Hux kept seeing the look of pure anguish and betrayal on Alys’s face as she’d spotted Resistance soldiers who were there to take her away.  _ You promised me, Bren. _ The words rang inside his head. He wanted to rip them out and toss them into a black hole and yet they remained. 

Giving up on sleep, he swung his feet over the side of the bed and shoved them into his boots, fully realizing how ridiculous he looked but not particularly caring. As quietly as he could manage, he crossed the broad hallways of the medical wards to the makeshift room where they’d taken Ben once they’d finally pulled him out of a bacta tank. Not for the first time, he wished they’d been assigned beds closer together. The memories of being forcibly separated were still too fresh.

Almost immediately, Ben’s eyes flickered open. “Hey.”

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Hux apologized. 

“It’s okay. I wasn’t really asleep. I haven’t been able to sleep without you.”

Hux shook his head ever so slightly. “That’s a ridiculous line.”

“It wasn’t a line.”

“I know.”

“C’mere. Please.” Hux was already moving before the words were out of his mouth. He kicked his boots off again and curled up beside Ben on the narrow bed, grateful for the excuse to be close. Ben wrapped his one good arm around Hux’s narrow shoulders, pulling him nearer. “Are you okay?”

“No,” Hux said, the admission making his voice crack. “Are you?”

Ben grinned and lifted what was left of his arm. “What’s left of me will be.”

Despite himself, Hux almost smiled. “You’re an absurd human being.”

“I know. It’s probably not why you agreed to marry me.”

Hux swallowed hard. “You remember that then?”

“Yeah.” The gesture was awkward but Ben managed to reach and nudge Hux’s chin upwards so he’d look at him. “Did you really mean it?”

“I don’t say what I don’t mean. I’m going to marry you.”

“Okay.” Ben let out his breath, some of the tension disappearing from his body. “I just wanted to make sure.” Hux leaned up and pressed a kiss to his jaw but didn’t say anything, his sister’s words still haunting him despite the distraction. “What’s wrong?”

Hux didn’t reply for a moment, choosing his words. “I… I can’t sleep either. After everything that’s happened, my mind won’t…”

“Is it like what happened last year?” Ben asked, filling in the gaps for him. 

“Yes and no.”

Ben’s eyes narrowed. “It’s about Alys.” Hux nodded. “She’ll be okay. No one’s going to hurt her. Mom wouldn’t let that happen.”

“She’s an enemy combatant,” Hux countered woodenly.

“Yeah, one who risked her own life to help us escape. That counts for something.” He could almost feel Ben’s frown as he didn’t respond. “What’s  _ really _ wrong? You knew when we came back that they’d take her into custody.”

“I…” Hux struggled with how to express an emotion he’d suppressed for far too long especially when he hated giving into any sort of sentiment even at the best of time. “I can’t stop seeing her. I can’t stop hearing her. What I did… after she…” His breath hitched and his shoulders started shaking as exhaustion finally took its toll on his usual ever so careful control.

“Hey,” Ben murmured, pulling him closer and pressing a kiss into his hair. “Hey it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

“I promised her,” Hux whispered.

Ben whispered back, “I know. It’ll be okay.” His hand drifted up from his shoulder to run through Hux’s short hair. “Just let me in, okay? I can help.”

Too tired to argue, Hux merely nodded. He welcomed anything that would stop the  _ you promised me, Bren, _ from echoing through his mind. After so long, Ben’s presence in his mind felt more like a gentle touch, blurring the memory temporarily until her voice was only a dull hum. All too suddenly, verbal words became too much and it was all he could do to think ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’.

“I love you too,” he heard Ben say softly before giving in to the wave of sleep.

~

Kalonia kept Hux in the medical bay for another day and Ben for another two after that. Talon Karrde had made good on his murmured word and helped procure him a prosthetic arm. It was far from being one of the more sophisticated models that were almost indistinguishable from human flesh but those sorts took time, funds, and access to a top of the line hospital; none of which the Resistance could spare. Ben got it. If he was brutally honest with himself, he knew that he was lucky to even have gotten the metal arm that he did and that someone who wasn’t Leia’s son might not have even gotten one. It would take some getting used to but at least he was still alive.

Whether or not the same could entirely be said for Myri Antilles was debatable. 

“Jess Pava saved her life,” Kalin informed them as he and Hux stood beside the woman’s stasis pod. “The First Order didn’t wait around once they’d captured you. Jess was able to make it to Myri, get her just enough medical attention on Orinda, and then get her back here to Doctor Kalonia.”

“Will she wake up?” Ben asked with concern. He’d always liked Myri. She made everything fun even when it wasn’t supposed to be. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for this. Even with his shrunken Force presence, he should have been able to sense Kyla’s approach and stop her.

Kalin hesitated and then nodded. “Doctor Kalonia seems optimistic. Most of her physical injuries are healed at this point but her brain just needs to catch up. I can let you know if I hear of any changes.”

“Please do,” Hux replied for both of them. 

Most of their first few days back with the Resistance were a blur. Ben tried his best to forget his time in the bacta tank but it almost seemed like the lesser of two evils. At least in the tank, no one bothered him. He and Hux had both been debriefed about their time in captivity almost immediately despite Kalonia’s insistence that they both needed rest. Intelligence had talked to them both separately; something that didn't make him happy. Neither one of them had said anything about it but after their ordeal, they were reluctant to be apart especially at night. Even after he’d been discharged, Hux had returned to the medical ward in the evenings and they’d slept curled up together on the narrow bed. He had a feeling that it was going to take them longer to move past their mental scars than the physical ones.

When it came to visible wounds, Ben wasn’t used to his new arm yet. It felt strange and foreign and like it wasn’t really a part of him. He could feel through it but he couldn’t feel it in the Force. 

“It took almost three months before I wasn’t constantly aware that my hand was a droid’s now and mine even had synthetic flesh over it.”

Ben looked up to see his uncle. “It just feels weird,” he confessed. “I can feel things when I touch them and I know it’s attached to me but it doesn’t feel like it’s mine.”

Luke nodded. “That will take time too and then one day, maybe a year from now, you won’t even remember that it’s mechanical some days.”

Dubiously, Ben glanced at the limb. “Yeah. If you say so.”

“I’m sorry that this seems to have become a family tradition. It’s not one that any of us should have to endure.”

“No one gave Kyla Ren that memo.” 

His uncle didn’t reply for a moment, sitting at the table beside him. “Back on Ahch’to, you said that Rey isn’t Rey anymore and that’s why you call her Kyla. Do you still believe that?”

“Yeah,” Ben said without even pausing to think. “After what she did to me, after what she did to Hux… I don’t know how she could be.”

“This all has to end.”

It was Ben’s turn to frown. “You said that before. It was something about how the Jedi have to end. You’re still not making sense.”

Luke sighed. “I thought… I thought that I could be what Yoda and Obi-Wan expected of me. I thought that I could train the next generation of Jedi Knights and help restore balance to the galaxy. Instead, I’ve failed at every turn. Except…” Curiously, he looked over. “Except with you. But that’s a testament to your own strength, not my teachings.”

Ben scoffed, “Strength? For what? Not running away?”

“And for being the Jedi that the galaxy needed you to be.” Luke paused, a thought seeming to occur to him. “Maybe that’s the answer. We stop Snoke and Re--my daughter and then the Jedi can become whatever you make of them.”

Immediately, he shook his head. “I don’t want that responsibility, Uncle Luke.”

“The right people never do.” Rising to his feet, Luke clapped him on the shoulder with his own metal hand and abruptly changed the subject. “You’ll get used to the hand in time. Just remember: it doesn’t make you less or a person or a Jedi.”

Three minutes later, Ben was still blinking in confusion as he stared at the seat Luke had vacated. Sometimes, he thought Hux had a point: the Force and everything attached to it were far more trouble than they were worth.

~

He didn’t know how to feel. Hux wasn’t sure if there even was a so-called correct way to feel about being present for your sister’s interrogation a mere week after she’d partaken in yours. At least he knew that hers would be decidedly less painful than what he’d had to endure; General Cracken had promised as much in between making him swear that he wouldn’t interfere with the interrogation if he was permitted to be present. It was a promise that he easily made and now here he stood, watching Alys through the one way glass.

"You don't need to be here for this, Hux," Liselle said, tone more conversational than anything. She was a smart choice for the debriefing given her history both with Hux and with investigating the First Order. The day prior, she’d spent several hours with him discussing his time in the First Order and his sister in preparation for today. In a way, he was glad that it was Liselle. He trusted her in a way that he wasn’t sure he trusted Cracken.

"Yes, I do," he relied flatly.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself." Glancing down at her datapad for a moment seemingly more out of habit than necessity, she squared her shoulders and entered the room. Alys barely reacted. "Good morning, General."

"We can dispense with the titles," Alys said with a sigh. "I'm sure they've already stripped me of my rank and marked me as a traitor within their records."

"Very well," Liselle said, slipping into the chair across from her. "Alys, then. Shall we talk?"

“About what? The weather? I’m afraid that I have nothing to add.”

“How about the First Order?”

“I have nothing to tell you.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“Allow me to rephrase: there’s nothing that I’m inclined to tell you.”

“Why?”

Alys’s brow furrowed. “I don’t understand the question.”

“Why don’t you want to talk to me about the First Order?” 

Outside of the room, Hux frowned as he watched. He didn’t understand what Liselle’s plan was but she was coming off as far milder than she usually did in these sorts of interrogations. Alys would have no respect for anyone she deemed weak.

“Because I’m not a traitor to my beliefs.”

“Beliefs are not governments.”

“What do you hope to get from this exercise in futility?" Alys asked harshly. "I don't believe in your ridiculous cause like my brother.  You have no leverage and you can’t resort to physical torture and neither would any threats against my brother have a point.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because that’s not how the Resistance does things and because he has a hulking Jedi of a boyfriend who would probably kill anyone who touched him.”

“Fair enough.”

“So why are you wasting both of our time?”

Liselle straightened up and looked her in the eye, speaking with blunt honesty. “Because it’s my job, Alys. Just like it was your job to get information from your brother.”

Alys narrowed her blue eyes, clearly reevaluating her. “What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t.”

“Fine. What’s your name then?”

“Liselle.”

“And do you have any siblings, Liselle?” The blonde inclined her head. “Are you close?”

“We’re family,” she replied without actually replying.

Alys smiled. “Ah. Well let me lay out a scenario for you then. Imagine that you and one of your siblings weren’t just close but that you were partners in whatever the galaxy threw at you until one day, he left you behind to defect and abandon everything you were raised to believe was right. Imagine that over a decade passes and that you find yourselves on opposites sides of a war. And then one day, you find yourself presented with a scenario in which you either stand by and do nothing or you save your sibling’s life at whatever cost. Would you just let them be executed?”

“I think you already know that answer.”

“Of course I do. You would have done the same as I.”

“Do you know what I find interesting about you?” Liselle asked, abruptly switching tracks.

“I have no doubt you’re about to enlighten me.”

“You’ve made such a big deal about how your defection was only out of love for your brother and yet you took part in his torture and interrogation without much convincing.” 

“Because Kyla Ren isn’t a person who gives you an option. And I wasn’t in the mood for getting choked that day.”

“So you tortured your brother.”

“It wasn’t like that!” Alys exclaimed exasperatedly. 

Liselle raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t it though?” Not waiting for a response, she rose to her feet and walked towards the door. “We’ll speak more later.”

The door shut behind her before Alys slammed both of her fists against the table, a sound of frustration escaping her.

“A good start,” Liselle remarked conversationally, leaning against the wall.

Hux blinked. “She told you nothing.”

She shrugged. “Not yet. Give it time.”

“We don’t have time.”

“This isn’t something that can done at the snap of your fingers. It has to be a process. Unless you’d like to proceed to enhanced techniques.”

Wincing, Hux shook his head. The bacta had done its work but he could still feel a twinge from some of his injuries if he moved too quickly in one direction. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

“And that’s not what I meant either.” Hux frowned and Liselle tapped her temple with one finger. “We have Jedi.”

“No!” Hux exclaimed more firmly than he intended, not letting himself remember what Kyla’s touch on his mind had felt like. “Absolutely not. And don’t insult me by asking him behind my back.”

“I won't,” Liselle said, sincerity in her gray eyes. “Hux, I wouldn't do that.”

He hesitated before nodding. “I know.”

“Give me the time I need to work. I promise to let you know the minute we get anywhere.”

As far as Liselle went, it was one of her less subtle ways of telling him to go away. “Very well,” Hux said, clearing his throat. “I’ll leave you to it.”

It took until the next day before his curiosity finally won out and made him return. “Any progress?” he asked the agent supervising. 

The twi’lek shook his head. “Nothing significant. Specialist Afyon seems to think she’s close though. Your timing is good though, Colonel. She wanted us to find you if you weren't back soon.”

Hux didn't respond, instead turning his attention to the room. Alys and Liselle appeared to be deep in conversation regarding the ethics of Starkiller. 

“It’s hardly as if I liked watching the Supreme Leader order the death of an entire star system,” Alys was saying. “I was never in favor of even building it.”

“Why not leave then?” Liselle asked. “Why be complicit in that crime?”

“And go where? To a dying Republic? Allow me to decline that priceless opportunity.”

“You are here now though.”

She rolled her eyes. “Not again.”

Liselle spread her hands. “There’s a simple solution if you’re sick of always circling back to this.”

“Simple for you, perhaps.”

“Simple for both of us. You won’t be returning to the First Order any time soon if ever so why not help us and help yourself at the same time?”

Alys just stared at her for a long moment before saying abruptly, “I want a drink.”

Liselle arched an eyebrow. “That’s not how this works.”

Alys continued on as if she hadn’t heard. “Whiskey, rum, it doesn’t matter. Something decent though. I’ve drunk more than my fair share of less than stellar alcohol. It wasn’t in the budget for lower ranking officers and if we’re going to do this, than I prefer to do so as my rank entitles. Brendol, you might as well be the one to bring it in here,” she said, looking directly at the observation window. “Because I want to talk to you.”

“What are you offering?” Alys leaned back, folded her arms across her chest, and stared. She repeated the question to the same results. Equally silent, Liselle rose to her feet and left the room, irritation not showing in her eyes until the door had shut behind her. “Interesting.”

“I need to go in there,” Hux said without any preamble.

“Are you sure that’s the best idea?’

“No, but we don’t have another choice.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Liselle said. “Everyone breaks eventually.”

Hux clenched his jaw. “I’m aware.”

“I know you are,” she replied without a hint of apology in her voice. “I’m presenting you options.”

“I don’t need them. Have someone find Captain Solo and get what she wants.”

It happened faster than he expected and within fifteen minutes, he was walking into the interrogation room with a flask in one hand, the contents filled with alcohol from Han’s own private collection.

Alys raised an eyebrow. “About time.”

“The Resistance might be a less strict military organization than what we know but that doesn’t mean there’s a flask in every pocket,” he replied, sliding it across the table to her. “What did you want to discuss?”

Instead of responding, she took a long drink from the flask, nose wrinkling at the burn. “What is this?”

“I haven’t the faintest clue.”

“Then how do I know you haven’t handled me swill?”

“You’ll just have to trust.”

“Ah.” Deliberately, Alys screwed the cap back on. “That’s the issue isn’t it, Brendol? I don’t trust you anymore.”

Hux did his best not to wince. “I know.”

“Did you ever mean it?”

“Be more specific.”

“Don’t.”

“I didn’t leave you. I still haven’t.”

“But you did.” Alys plucked at fabric of her Resistance-issue shirt. “Metaphorically at least or we wouldn’t be on opposite sides of this table.”

“If I’d left you entirely, I wouldn’t be in this room now, would I?”

“I don’t care for these games, Brendol. Answer the question.”

Hux sighed. “I am, little sister. I promised that I wouldn’t leave you and I haven’t. You assumed that we would leave this war behind and go anywhere and for the good of the Resistance, I let you.”

“What good am I doing the Resistance sitting in one of its cells? And  _ don’t _ feed me that same line your compatriot has been for the last two days.”

“What do you want from me, Alys?”

“I want you to tell me why.”

Hux paused, taking a moment to consider his words. “Once you came with us, it was the only possible option.”

“No.” Her tone was flat. “You could have let me leave once we met up with that smuggler.”

“And what would you have done?” he asked exasperatedly. “Gone into the galaxy with literally nothing but the uniform on your back? How far could you have possibly gotten?”

There was a pause. “I would have figured out a way. Survived. That’s what I’ve always done.”

“That sounds like a stunningly well thought-out plan.”

“The plan was to help  _ you _ escape and then remain with the First Order where I belong! Where we both belong!”

“We don’t. I don’t. Not anymore.” 

“And you think that  _ I _ belong here? A prisoner of a group that wants nothing more than to see me dead?”

“It’s the Resistance, Alys! They’re bleeding hearts!” Hux exclaimed. “They want to embrace a former enemy who’s seen the error of their ways and come around to what they deem the side of good. It makes for an excellent story but you have to give them a reason.”

Alys didn’t reply for a moment and when she did, her tone was subdued. “Why do you keep saying they?”

He frowned. “What?”

“You referred to the Resistance as they. Why?”

“Because there’s no galaxy in which I could be a bleeding heart,” Hux said with all the disdain he could manage, all too aware that Liselle was watching every moment, “and you’re avoiding the point.”

“Enlighten me then.”

“You can keep your loyalties to the First Order; a group that forced you to torture your own brother and that has destroyed an entire system. A group that will execute you for your role in freeing Ben Organa Solo if you ever return. A group that isn’t worth your loyalty. Or you can share what intelligence you have about the First Order and help us defeat them. Earn the Resistance’s trust and they will repay in kind. You will be my sister whatever you decide but one will go better for you than the other. I hope you make the right one. I’d like the chance to know the person you’ve become.” He reached across the table and took the flask from her hand, unscrewing the top and taking a long drink from it. “But the choice is yours, little sister. Don’t take too long about it.” Rising to his feet, he dropped the flask back on the table in front of her.

“Damn you, Brendol,” Alys spat out, angry words following him from the room.

“That went well,” Hux said blandly, trying to ignore the curious looks that most of the Intelligence agents were giving him. “I trust that no one will see fit to repeat my own personal business outside of this assignment.” There was a chorus of ‘no sirs’ from the handful of people present except from Liselle who merely raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“An interesting tactic,” Liselle said in an equally mild tone. “Will she see things our way?”

“It’s what would have convinced me,” Hux said, tilting his head in a shrug. “But I am not Alys.”

“True.” She extended a datacard towards him. “An ensign from General Celchu came by while you were in there. He’d like to speak to you.”

“Thank you,” he replied, accepting the datacard. “Let me know if--”

“Of course.”

“Thank you,” he said again although the meaning was different this time. Liselle merely inclined her head. 

As Hux left the interrogation area and made his way towards the naval command section of the base, a part of him wished that he could find somewhere and drink some more of whatever had been in that flask or perhaps retreat back to the room that he shared with Ben and try to forget everything about today and the last few weeks. But duty called and he hardly one to ignore duty regardless what distractions presented themselves.

It was another three hours before a message reached his datapad.  
  
_ She’ll cooperate. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat shorter chapter this time but ah well. Also, I cling to hope that I'll one day relearn how to not scramble to finish a chapter the day I need to post it but it probably won't be during this fic since there are only two chapters left after this.

Alys’s cooperation did not come without conditions. It was hardly surprising and they were relatively reasonable given the circumstances. Mostly, she requested her freedom; something that Leia and Cracken were willing to grant with contingencies. She was given a room on the base but with a guard posted outside and she was to be accompanied at all times and given no access to any external communications. They were conditions that would be revisited after the war’s end. Hux kept his distance despite his desire to speak more with his sister. After what had occurred between them, he understood that it was her right to decide when she wanted to speak to him again even if she had been the one previously subjecting him to physical torture. Theirs was a complicated family.

Hux had no part in her debriefing as Leia, Cracken, and Wedge handled it personally but it wasn’t hard to figure out that her information had been fruitful given the sudden uptick in strategy meetings as the newly combined Resistance and New Republic fleets worked on tactics that might play to their strengths and the First Order’s weaknesses. It also turned out that he and Ben hadn’t been the only ones to recently return to base with something useful in tow although Poe had most certain had to endure less for his.

“I still don’t understand how you managed this, Poe,” Hobbie Klivian said with a shake of his head. “Three squadrons of fighters…”

Poe shrugged. “I smiled and said please?”

“Actually,” Snap interrupted, “he and Finn delivered a very impassioned plea to the Sluis Van and convinced them that they had to take a stand and help us fight the First Order or risk dying with the rest of the galaxy or something suitably dramatic. And  _ then _ he smiled and said please.”

“That used to be my job,” Janson said mournfully. “Is this what it feels like to be old?”

“Yes,” Hobbie replied mercilessly. “Get used to it.”

“Now we still have to find the pilots for them,” Snap pointed out. 

Janson clapped him on the shoulder. “Trust me, we’ll handle that.”

Hux turned his attention back to the data in front of him, trying to work out the ideal numbers for ship configurations. While he suspected they hadn’t had many choices, this current base was far from one of his favorites due to how its buildings didn’t allow for much compartmentalization or quiet collaboration. All of the military analysis and discussion happened in the same area and concentration could be difficult at times. 

“Hux, a word?”

He looked up to see Tycho standing before him, waiting expectantly. “Of course, General,” he said, scrambling to his feet and following him from the room. 

Tycho waited until they were outside to start talking. “I wanted to see how you were doing in the wake of everything.”

“I’m doing as well as I can be, sir,” Hux replied evenly. Tycho raised an eyebrow, forcing him to expand. “I won’t lie and say that the events of the last few weeks haven’t affected me but I am handling it. This isn’t like before.”

“If you need to speak to Doctor Marginy again…”

“After the war, perhaps. There’s no time now.”

Tycho frowned. “Hux…”

He squared his shoulders. “Sir, with respect, Ben has gone through just as much of an ordeal as I have and I doubt you’re having this same conversation with him.”

It was a long moment before the Alderaanian nodded. “A fair point.”

From his point of view, everything he said was the absolute truth. What had happened in the First Order base wasn't like when he has killed his father. In a way, it felt worse but this time, he had someone who has gone through much of it with him even if their own particular trials had been different. More importantly perhaps, they were there for each other when Ben woke up screaming in the middle of the night after his dreams forced him to relive losing his arm and when Hux couldn't sleep because his mind wouldn't stop remembering. He suspected that neither of them would truly ever be over what had happened but for now, they were coping as well as could be expected. Hux voiced none of this. Instead, he simply said, “I’m fit for duty, sir. For whatever the Resistance needs.” 

“The Resistance will certainly make use of you,” Tycho said grimly. “This… this feels like it did before Endor. We’ll all be called into action soon.”

He wasn’t wrong. 

Hux was the first to awake the next morning thanks to the sound of both of their comlinks beeping insistently. “Hux,” he said groggily once he’d grabbed the stupid device and thumbed it on.

_ “Mandatory briefing in the central room at 0900.” _

“Acknowledged,” Hux replied, checking the time on his datapad. At least they hadn’t woken him too much earlier than his usual time.

_ “And tell Knight Organa Solo too please. He’s not answering his comlink.” _

He rolled his eyes. “I’m aware. Hux out.”

“Whadatheywant?” Ben asked, voice muffled by the pillow. 

“Briefing in three hours,” Hux replied, starting to sit up.

Ben’s metal hand reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. “S’in three hours.”

Hux rolled over, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “Then go back to sleep.”

“No.” Finally, Ben unburied his head from the pillow and turned to face him. “C’mon, we both know what that briefing means.”

“I know,” Hux said, reaching out and running a hand through Ben’s unruly hair. 

Ben moved remarkably quickly for someone so large and so recently asleep. Within a blink of an eye, he pulled Hux towards him, pressing kisses along his collarbone. “It’s going to be another mission or another battle or something. Maybe it’s the big one.”

“You do realize that I’m already in your bed and that there’s no need for this ‘we could die tomorrow’ nonsense, yes?” Hux asked with amusement as Ben settled himself on top of him, straddling his waist. 

“I know. But I’m not ready.”

Hux frowned, stopping his kisses and tilting Ben’s chin up to look at him. “Not ready for what?”

“To be away from you again,” Ben answered earnestly, leaning down so he could kiss him deeply. 

Hux let him because truth be told, he wasn’t ready for their eventual separation yet either. 

~

They didn’t make it to breakfast that morning but they did arrive at the briefing several minutes early at Hux’s insistence. They never verbally agreed to it but found seats in the room together anyways.  It was like Hux had finally gotten the memo about military propriety not really being a thing in the Resistance. Either way, Ben wasn't complaining especially since they'd definitely both meant it about remaining together as long as possible. It made him feel kind of needy but that still ranked above the feeling of despair he'd felt when the First Order had separated them for their interrogations.  

Wedge, Ackbar, and his mother stood at the front of the room with several others, including Cracken and both Celchus, arrayed off to the side. Ben noticed that Hux very deliberately didn’t make eye contact with his sister who looked less than pleased to be there although maybe that was just her usual expression. She was Hux’s sister after all. 

Leia gave the stragglers another few minutes to arrive before stepping into the center of the room, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about what this briefing might be. Those rumors were true. We know where the First Order is.”

A murmur went around the room, mostly whispers of surprise. Ben frowned and leaned over to  murmur in Hux’s ear, “They’re not stupid enough to stay at the same base are they?”

Before Hux could respond, Leia continued. “Thanks to our latest defector and confirmation from Commander Antilles’s scouting mission, we’ve confirmed that the bulk of the First Order has fled to their Supreme Leader’s stronghold. If we strike hard and fast, we could win this war with one more battle.”

Ben started even as Hux turned his head sharply to look at Alys. The location must have come from her. He wondered if Snoke’s location was common knowledge amongst officers or if it was something they told you when you got a general’s rank stripes. Either way… he already had a bad feeling about this plan his mom was about to describe. 

“Our attack will be three-pronged,” Leia continued. “Admiral Antilles will lead the space assault against their fleet while Admiral Ackbar will lead the atmosphere attack.” 

Karé Kun cleared her throat. “What’s the third, General?”

“That depends on our two Jedi,” Leia said, turning to look at Ben and Luke, “and whether they’re willing to lead the ground fight against Snoke.”

Ben glanced over at his uncle who seemed less surprised than he was. “We’ll go where the Republic needs us,” Luke replied smoothly for both of them. 

“Is Kyla Ren there too?” Ben asked roughly, hoping to remind him of what he’d said weeks ago. 

Leia glanced over at Cracken who shook his head. “We weren’t able to confirm that but it seems likely given how much of their remaining leadership is there.”

Ben made no verbal response, sharply nodding his head. Snoke and Kyla Ren… He curled his hand into a fist and then uncurled it, repeating it several times before Hux leaned slightly towards him, a reassuring presence. 

His mother didn’t seem to notice though and continued her briefing. “Black, Blue, Red, and Cobalt Squadrons will be flying with Admiral Ackbar’s group while Rogue, Phantom, Gold, Blade, Corona, and Nomad will be with Admiral Antilles. We still have several starfighters without pilots so if you have cockpit experience and want to fly, now is the time to speak up. We’re sending individual ship assignments to your datapads. We’ll keep several here at base just in case but…” Leia paused, looking around the room and taking in each of their faces. “I won’t lie to any of you: this fight has never been an easy one and even though we destroyed Starkiller, they hurt us with Hosnian Prime. Badly. There’s not a person in the Resistance who didn’t lose a friend or family member that day. But this… this is the best chance we have to end this war. The odds may be against us but the Force is with us. There’s no one I’d rather have at my side in this fight than everyone in this room.”

Silence hung over the room for a long minute. Everyone seemed to have gotten her unspoken, underlying message loud and clear: not all of them would be coming back. Finally, Poe Dameron rose to his feet. “We’re with you, General Organa. All of us.”

Spell broken, the rest of the room came to their feet, standings staggered as they murmured their own variations on the pilot’s words. Leia didn’t say anything for a moment, only smiling. It was a genuine expression and not one of her careful politician ones that Ben’d seen since before he could talk. “Thank you. All of you. I won’t keep any of you here any longer. Assignments will be hitting your datapads momentarily. Report to your group and share orders with your squadrons and ships.” She looked around the room again before nodding. “May the Force be with us. Good luck.”

Immediately, Hux excused himself, never taking his eyes from his sister. “I’ll find you later.” 

“Yeah sure,” Ben said, equally distracted. His dark eyes narrowed as he took several long steps to cross the distance between him and his uncle. 

Luke didn’t break stride as he glanced up at him. “Ben. Did you want to talk about tomorrow?”

“You just volunteered us both to probably go die or something,” Ben said without any preamble. 

“Were you planning on not volunteering?”

“Well… no but that’s not the point!” Luke raised an eyebrow and Ben sighed exasperatedly. “Okay fine. Whatever.”

They made their way through the building’s narrow corridors and towards the door. “You’re concerned about the mission.”

“What gave that away?” Ben asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“A Jedi Master knows many things.”

“Ha ha ha very funny.”

“I thought so,” Luke said with a half smile. “What’s really concerning you, Ben?”

He took a moment to consider his answer. “It’s not like I think that anyone’s got it easy tomorrow but the two of us taking on everything Snoke can throw at us…”

“We won’t be alone.”

“At the start, yeah sure,” Ben conceded, “but the closer we get…” He raked a hand through his hair. “Kyla’s gotten half a dozen Knights of Ren. I bet they’ll all be there. And there’s just two of us.”

Luke nodded, folding his arms across his chest. “And the Force will be with us.”

“The Force is with Kyla Ren too.”

As they stepped outside, Luke said, “Just go ahead and say it.”

“Fine,” Ben huffed. “You’ve been on Ahch’to for years now with no one but those stupid birds and unless they’re good sparring partners, you’re out of practice.”

From nowhere, a green lightsaber emerged, the glowing blade mere inches from his throat. Ben was very careful not to move. “An interesting assessment,” Luke said pensively, as if he didn’t have a lightsaber in his hand. “Let’s see if it’s accurate.”

Ben quickly stepped back, igniting his own lightsaber but leaving Anakin’s attached to his belt. Nephew and uncle slowly circled each other as other members of the Resistance scattered to give them space but still remained close enough to watch. Ben attacked first, blade held high. Luke easily parried him and immediately followed up with his own strike. Slowly but surely, their fight’s speed picked up until their lightsabers probably looked like nothing more than green blurs to anyone watching. In theory, Ben knew that his youth and training regimens should be giving him an advantage over the older man but apparently no one had told Luke that. It wasn’t like he wasn’t holding his own. He definitely was. He just hadn’t expected Luke to hold his own too and then some.

All it took was one tiny moment of distraction and Ben found himself flying backwards. His back hit the dirt somewhat painfully and he let out a  _ wuhf _ of air. Before he could regain his footing, Luke’s lightsaber was at his throat and the Jedi Master was grinning. “Judge me by my age, do you, nephew?”

“Well not anymore,” Ben gasped, still trying to get his breath back and ignore the scattered applause from their spectators and the sounds of credit chips exchanging hands. 

“Here.” Luke extended a hand down to him; his real one, Ben noted. Gratefully, he accepted and let his uncle pull him to his feet. Luke didn’t release him immediately, instead pitching his voice too low for any others to hear. “No more running, no more hiding. I won’t leave you alone this time. We’ll do this together, Ben.” 

He quipped, “Do or do not, right?”

“Exactly,” Luke said before releasing his hand and stepping back, returning his lightsaber to his belt. 

Almost immediately, Luke was greeted with a friendly backslap from Wedge Antilles who was grinning broadly. “Kids these day… don’t respect age and experience.” 

Luke hid a smirk with his hand. “How many credits did you just win?”

“Twenty off of Syal.”

Ben took the good natured teasing in the manner it was intended. Most days, he’d be angry to lose a duel, even a training bout but today? Today, he just felt relieved. If his uncle could still fight like that after living alone on an island for 6 years? Maybe… just maybe they had a shot.

Maybe they’d both come home.

~

Hux had far too many questions swirling in his brain. The most obvious, of course, was what his assignment in this last stand would be but the most pressing was how in the stars Alys’d known Snoke’s location. His information was admittedly outdated but he could remember hearing his father rant more than once about how the Supreme Leader kept himself apart and how senior leaders within the First Order were entitled to know where he was. 

He wove his way through the crowd, unable to catch up to her until they were well outside of the briefing room. “Alys,” he said, making her stop mid-stride. "A word?"

She hesitated before nodding and stepping to the side. Her guard remained but kept his distance to grant them some privacy. "What is it?"

"I thought we should speak before tomorrow," Hux said bluntly. 

"I suppose you want to clear your conscience before you go off to die," she replied acidly. 

"Enough," he said sharply. "We've both done things to hurt each other, little sister. This grudge counting does nothing of use."

"Easy for you to say when you're not the most recently wrong," she muttered even as she seemed to relax a little. "Fine though. What did you wish to discuss?"

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“Where the Supreme Leader is.”

Alys tilted her head to the right in a shrug. “After Father exiled me and then died, I knew that I would need some sort of protection one day. What better shield than information? I cultivated friendships and learned what I could. Even got an admiral drunk one night.”

“Which Admiral?”

“D’Asta.”

“He’s still alive?”

“His daughter.”

“Ah.”

Narrowing her eyes, Aly asked, “What’s your actual purpose in hounding me, Brendol?”

Hux spread his hands. "This… discord between us accomplishes nothing. Hate me if you must but we are all we have left in this galaxy.”

“No. You are all that  _ I _ have left in this galaxy unless Mother’s managed to avoid any backlash. You have your life here. You have that Jedi.”

“That Jedi has a name.”

Alys ignored him. “The point, Brendol, is that you have more than just me.”

“And yet none of those you just mentioned are my sister.”

“Why do you feel the need to point out the obvious?” 

Hux sighed, straightening and placing his hands behind his back. “Fine. I shall say this and then leave you be. Yes, I acknowledge there is strong chance I might die in this battle tomorrow and yes, I would prefer to do so with either your forgiveness or at least without your hate. We can relearn what it means to be siblings in this new galaxy if the Resistance wins the war.” He paused but Alys didn’t respond, merely folding her arms across her chest. “Very well. As promised, I’ll leave you be.”

He’d turned and taken a step away before she sighed. “Wait.” He turned back and raised an expectant eyebrow as she hesitated before speaking. “I don’t hate you.” She glanced away for a brief moment. “But I also don’t forgive you. Not yet.”

“That’s not unfair,” Hux replied, not sure what else to say.

“Perhaps you… had a point the other day,”Alys said almost begrudgingly. “I would like to know the person that you have become too.” She paused before extending a hand towards him. “Do your best not to die, tomorrow, brother.”

“I usually do,” he said, shaking her hand of truce firmly. Neither one of them made any move to hug. It was too crowded, too public. He may have become slightly more accustomed to showing emotion but that just felt like a step too far. The last thing he needed were more rumors flying around the base about him. “We can speak… after.”

“Of course.” Alys nodded sharply, both of them taking a step back. “I… good luck, Bren.”

It was the first time she’d used her nickname for him since he’d betrayed her. Hux couldn’t help but let a small smile slip through. “Thank you,” he said simply before turning to leave again, a weight lifted from his shoulders. Feeling a sense of relief on the eve of battle felt strange and yet, he wouldn’t have traded that feeling for the galaxy.

~

This was far from the first time that Hux had made his way through the base on the eve of a large battle but there was something about this time that felt different. There was still an energy but it felt more subdued; as if everyone knew that their chances of success were low and their individual chances of dying were far higher. It felt strange doing something as simple as taking the time to do something as eat an evening meal with his boyfriend after hours spent in a strategy session with Admiral Antilles.

They’d been discussing mindless matters while they picked at their food. Military rations were far from appetizing at the best of times. Ben kept shifting anxiously in his seat for reasons that Hux suspected had little to do with pre-battle nerves. 

“Hey listen…” Ben finally started cautiously, hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I know we said we’d wait until after the war but--”

“Yes.”

Ben started. “You don’t even know what I’m going to ask.”

Hux smirked. “Yes, I do.”

“Okay so fine: what was I going to ask?”

“You were going to ask if I would marry you now.”

Ben blinked. “Oh. Okay so maybe you did know.”

“I know a lot of things, darling,” Hux said, a small smile creeping onto his face as he shoved his meal tray away, resting his arms on the table. “But I rudely cut you off before, didn’t I?”

“Oh no,” Ben said, jumping to his feet and reaching across the table to pull him up too. “You already said yes. I’m not asking again and giving you a chance to change your mind.”

He shook his head with amusement. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

“Whatever. Come on, it’s already 1830. If we’re going to do this… let’s do it.”

“It can’t possibly take that long. All we have to do is sign a document, no?” Hux asked, trying to ignore the small voice in his brain that was starting to feel overwhelmed.  

Ben smirked. “Yeah no. Republic law says that we need a licensed officiant, two witnesses, and to actually verbally say that we’re agreeing to this whole marriage thing.”

“Of course this would be the one thing you’ve actually done research into.”

“If you think I’m giving up the chance to hear you say that you love me in front of other people, you’re crazy!”

Hux felt his cheeks flush pink. “Well. When you put it like that.”

“Ask whoever you want to be a witness,” Ben said, unbothered and focused on the mission. “I’ll comm you where to meet me. Twenty minutes, Hux!”

Somehow, it seemed appropriate that the event that was going to tie Hux to Ben forever was this impetuous.

It was an incredibly private ceremony if one could even call it that. It was just Ben, Hux, the officiant, and two witnesses. They’d silently agreed to not use family for their witnesses but rather those who were just as close and so only Kalin and Larissa were there to see Ben Organa Solo and Brendol Hux affirm their love for one another and promise to face whatever the galaxy might throw at them together. (Hux had dryly suggested that they remove any references to death given the impending battle.)

Hux has hesitated when the officiant reached the part about rings but seemingly out of nowhere, Ben produced two dark metal bands. At a questioning eyebrow raise from Hux, he shrugged sheepishly. “I wanted to be prepared in case you didn’t do your usual Hux thing so I made them after I asked you and you didn't just tell me no.”

He wasn’t sure if it was even possible to love someone even more than he did in that moment and when the last words of the ceremony were said, he kissed his husband like there was no one else in the galaxy but the two of them. 

“Yours,” Ben whispered as their lips parted. 

“Yours,” Hux repeated almost in confirmation before taking a step back and clearing his throat with embarrassment, suddenly recalling that there were others present. Ben had no such modesty, instead grabbing Hux’s hand as they turned to face their witnesses. 

Larissa was the first to step towards them, grabbing Ben into a tight hug. “Aunt Leia’s going to be so mad when she finds out you got married without telling her!”

“Thanks, Rissa,” Ben said dryly, hugging her back.

Kalin was a bit more subdued as she hugged Hux, kissing him on the cheek. “I’m very happy for you two,” she said. “You deserve some happiness in all of this awfulness.” 

“Thank you,” Hux said, “and thank you for being here.”

“As if I would have said no.”

The next moment, he was almost knocked backwards as Larissa hugged him briefly. “You just married an Organa Solo,” she informed him with a smirk. “You’ll have to get used to this sort of thing.”

“Right.” Hux cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment as she released him and looked over at the officiant. “What else do we need to do on the legal front?”

“I need signatures and thumbprints from both of you here and here,” the officiant said, pointing to the two spots on the datapad. “And signatures from your witnesses here.” It took a few minutes for the four of them to all make their marks in the appropriate spots. Once they’d finished, the officiant tapped a few buttons and then looked up and smiled. “Everything seems to be in order. I’ll file this immediately but within the eyes of the New Republic… congratulations to both of you.”

Hux murmured his thanks as the officiant collected his things and left. Larissa and Kalin exchanged knowing glances and then the latter slipped her arm through the former’s and grinned. “We’ll leave you two alone. Just don’t, you know, forget we’ve got a war to fight tomorrow.”

Ben groaned. “Go away, Rissa.”

She smirked but complied, leaving the two newly married men alone.

“So. Husband,” Hux said carefully, testing out the word even as he reached out to take both of Ben’s hands in his. “We have an evening left to us. It would be a shame to waste it, no?”

“Yeah,” Ben said with a broad smile. “Yeah, I think it would.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: supporting character death
> 
> Me: Wow do I really hate having to write prolonged action sequences  
> Also Me: I'm going to write a trilogy that hinges on a giant battle scene as one of the final chapters!

Hux tugged at the bottom of his glove, still getting used to the feeling of the metal band he now wore beneath it on his left hand. He told himself that he'd elected to wear them not because he was trying to hide his marriage but rather because space was cold and also because he wasn’t going to risk losing the ring within days of getting it.

The white of hyperspace whirled around them, visible through the ship’s viewports. They were only a few minutes out from the First Order’s base and the nerves on the ship were almost tangible.  He’d been far from surprised to learn that he’d been assigned to Admiral Antilles’s group especially once he’d also learned that Tycho was posted there too. None of this stopped him from feeling more than slightly on edge. It wasn’t the first time that he hadn’t been in charge during a battle but he was far from fond of it. The lack of control made him uncomfortable even if he had nothing but respect for Wedge Antilles. It wasn’t as if he had no role within the coming battle but there was nothing he could do to help Ben in his part of the fight.

Kalin leaned towards him. “Is there any point in telling you not to worry?”

“No, we all have plenty of reason to worry,” he said before looking down at her and frowning ever so slightly. “You could have stayed with General Organa’s staff, you know.”

“I asked for a combat posting,” she replied, expression never changing. “I couldn’t have sat this battle out anymore than you could have.”

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards. “A fair point, Commander Werth.”

“I often have those,” Kalin replied before stepping away to slide into one of the communication seats, fingers flying across the screen. 

Repressing one of his own smiles, Hux looked down at the screen before him, grabbing the railing beside him to brace as the navigator began to countdown their exit from lightspeed.

The  _ Echo of Hope _ lurched as she dropped out of hyperspace, appearing in space along with dozens of other Resistance ships above the unnamed planet that Snoke had claimed for his own. Their group was responsible for fighting what ever star destroyers, TIE fighters, and the like that the First Order might throw at them. Hopefully they would be enough to distract the bulk of their forces from Admiral Ackbar’s group on the other side of the planet. Judging by the ships he spotted on his screen, they were outmatched when it came to pure firepower from the capital ships and likely also outnumbered but the x-wings that made up most of their starfighter squadrons were highly superior ships to the far more fragile TIEs. 

The Resistance certainly had the upper hand for the time being. Clearly, the First Order hadn’t expected an attack and Wedge had no intention of giving them even a moment to coordinate a counterattack. “Launch all squadrons except for Phantom,” the admiral ordered. Within a minute, a mixture of starfighters began streaming out of their capital ships, raining damage down on the First Order as they struggled to react. A good start to say the least.

As he watched the tactical view on his screen, Hux suppressed a smile. If they kept this up and Ackbar’s group did their job, maybe they just might win this fight.

~

On the other side of the planet, Ben took a deep breath in and let it out again, fidgeting with his wedding ring. It hung on a chain around his neck. Maybe it was stupid but after his last mission, he didn’t feel all that great about wearing something so precious to him on his finger when he’d be facing Kyla Ren yet again all too soon. Not that he expected to lose another arm in a fair fight to her but it never hurt to be careful. He was still shocked that Hux had not only agreed to marry him so suddenly but that he’d almost preempted the idea. He had no regrets though. How could he after last night? If he closed his eyes, he could still feel Hux’s hand on his--

Ben’s eyes snapped open, trying to push the thought far away he suddenly remembered that his uncle was sitting five feet away and probably incredibly attuned to the Force and that last thing he needed to be doing was broadcasting  _ those _ particular memories. 

Luke just smiled at him in that infuriating way that managed to be all-knowing and say nothing at the same time. Embarrassed, Ben looked away, tucked the ring inside his shirt, and started fidgeting with the straps on his bracers instead. It was a stupid, pre-battle nervous habit that he hadn’t managed to break yet. Luke pressed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Breath, Ben, and trust in the Force.”

“Easier said than done,” he muttered.

“I know,” Luke said. “Keep your mind on the here and now. We’ll get through this.”

“Right.” Taking a deep breath, he let it out again before reaching down and detaching Anakin’s lightsaber from his belt. “Here. You should take this. It’s yours anyways.” 

“It was my father’s but Maz gave it to you.”

Ben shook his head. “I don't want it. I never wanted it.”

Luke frowned even as he took the hilt. “Are we still talking about the lightsaber?”

Before Ben could respond, the ship took a direct hit and shuddered, making all of its occupants look around with concern. “Remind me to book a better cruise line next time,” Page, the head of one of the commando teams, said dryly. 

Captain Ashe, their pilot for the mission, yelled from the cockpit, “You can walk back to base, Tomas Page!”

“Only if you’re walkin’ with me,” he shot back, making a rumble of laughter and amusement spread throughout the ship. 

“I only fly,” Ashe replied. “And everyone better hold on. We’re coming in hot.”

She wasn’t kidding and Ben was grateful for the benefit of the Force so he didn’t go tumbling into the commandos to his left. The landing was a rough one and he wasn’t entirely sure that at least one of the ship’s landing gears wasn’t damaged. No one stood on ceremony as the doors opened. Instead, the Resistance soldiers stormed onto the planet, blasters at the ready and firing at the stormtroopers who greeted them. Ben and Luke followed, lightsabers blazing. Ashe had gotten them close but not as close as he would have liked.  At least the volcanic planet’s natural landscape seemed to provide them some cover from the troopers’ blasterfire. It also helped that all of the First Order ships and attack vehicles were way too distracted by Poe Dameron and the other Resistance squadrons to pay much attention to people on foot.

Slowly but surely, they worked their way forward, blocking and deflecting whatever blasterfire they could away from the other Resistance soldiers. It was too slow going. “We need to get in there,” Ben said tersely to Page. 

“Get us a path there and my people can blow the door,” Page replied, never taking his eyes from the enemy.

“Yeah. Okay. Sure.” 

His uncle wasn’t going to like this. People close to him almost never liked it when he did things like this but he was almost definitely going to do it anyways. Taking a deep breath, Ben leapt forward into the middle of the nearest pack of stormtroopers. He didn’t think when he did things like this; he let the Force flow through him and guide his actions. It was only when the last armored body hit the ground that he remembered to exhale again. He glanced over his shoulder, not rising from his crouched position quite yet. “Good enough?”

Page didn’t respond directly, only signaling for his team to move forward. One woman made a beeline for the door, carefully yet hastily shrugging out of the large backpack and pulling what looked like several very high power explosives from it. It was probably a really good thing that she hadn’t gotten hit in the crossfire or else they’d all be in tiny pieces by now. “Everyone back!” she yelled, giving Ben just enough time to glance towards her before the doors burst inwards in an explosion that made the ground beneath him tremble. The grin on her face was an almost equally effective weapon. 

“Are you ready for this?” Luke asked him.

“Does it matter?”

“Probably not.”

“Then let’s go.” 

Ben did what he did best: dove into a situation that he didn’t know enough about and probably wasn’t ready for but was going to fight his way through anyways. 

It was quiet inside. Too quiet. He didn’t trust the quiet. 

Snoke’s fortress was just as dramatic inside as it was outside with high vaulted ceilings and polished black stone for the walls and floors. Despite how carefully they stepped, the sounds still echoed loudly in the corridors. 

“Captain Page, split your team please,” Luke said softly as they reached the first split in the hallway, giving them three choices for moving forward.

Page frowned. “Are you sure, Master Skywalker?”

“Very,” Luke said, not looking towards him as he stepped forward. “There are stormtroopers down either corridor who should be handled. Ben and I will go straight.”

Even Ben was frowning now as Page’s commandos moved off in their separate directions. Something was coming towards them from all directions. Something that wanted to stop them and radiated from the building’s center that just happened to be straight ahead of them. There was something closer though… two somethings. “Do you want high or low?”

Luke glanced up him almost incredulously. “Really Ben?”

He held up his free hand defensively. “Hey I thought I’d be polite and ask!”

“You’re certainly both of your parents’ son.”

“We doing this or not?” Ben asked impatiently. 

Luke’s only response was to reignite his lightsaber and Ben leapt into the air, aided by the Force. Startled, the Knight of Ren who’d been hiding in the rafters and waiting to ambush them tumbled from her post, falling into a crouch on the floor. Luke went for the one on the right, the other Knight just barely raising her forcepike in time to block his blow. 

That was all the time that Ben could afford to pay attention to his uncle’s fight. If it’d just been one of them, maybe the two Knights would have stood a chance. Maybe. His opponent didn’t use a forcepike like her companion or many of the other Knights he’d face before but instead twin blades. He didn’t know who the woman was behind the mask but she’d clearly trained at least some with Kyla Ren. It made it hard not to think of her as warm up for fighting his cousin. 

She had talent but it took more than that to beat a fully trained Jedi Knight. He was hardly even panting when she crumpled to the ground. Ben let out the breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding and looked towards his uncle. Luke was waiting patiently, his opponent already beaten. “Watch your left arm when you block. Your wrist is at a strange angle.”

“Are you seriously trying to teach me in the middle of a battle?” Ben asked incredulously. 

“There’s no better time,” Luke replied before nodding towards the hallway. “Do you sense it?”

“Snoke,” Ben confirmed. “He’s… it’s like it used to feel. Before. Wrong.”

“It’s why we’re here. To stop him,” Luke reminded him. 

“I know.”

Neither of them felt the need to say anything further, turning as one and walking deeper into the fortress. Snoke and Kyla Ren were waiting.

~

Despite his reservations, Hux found that he had more than enough to do throughout the battle to keep himself occupied. Despite there being precise zero Hux men or women in positions of power anymore, the First Order continued to use some of his father’s tactics which he was usually able to identify within minutes and warn Wedge so he could counter. He wasn't sure if they were honestly just that obtuse or genuinely ignorant as to their origin. Either way, he wasn't inclined to object. If they wanted to make it even easier on Admiral Antilles, who was he to tell them otherwise? 

It was far from a quiet bridge. The comm chatter between the assorted starfighters played through one of the tactical projector’s speakers. The cacophony didn’t seem to bother Tycho though as he kept a careful eye on their movements and numbers. From what Hux could tell from the glances he snuck towards the holographic displays, most of their starfighters seemed to be holding their own despite taking losses but he’d freely admit that he didn’t understand starfighters quite as well as two former x-wing jockeys. He’d always been more about the bigger picture when it came to ships; a flaw to be sure but at least one that he admitted to.

Wedge frowned as he came up to stand beside Tycho, the two men staring at the display of starfighters. “That’s three starfighters from Corona gone in as many minutes.”

“Norduin clearly wasn’t ready for command,” Tycho replied softly enough that Hux had to strain to hear him. “Can Syal handle an extra eight?”

“Corona won’t be able to keep up with the Rogues.”

“True.” Silence hung between the two veterans for a moment, words seeming to pass between them unspoken before Tycho finally smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “If Winter offers up any lectures about how I’m too old for this, I’m going to insist that you be present too.”

Wedge grinned. “I’d be out there with you too if they hadn’t slapped the admiral rank bar on me.” Instead of replying, Tycho exited the bridge at an almost run and left more than a confused faces behind especially after Wedge said, “Ensign Lendix, have the hanger bay prep one of those spare x-wings on the double. Colonel Klivian, take over for General Celchu.”

Hux turned his attention back to his own work, not entirely sure he believed what he theorized Tycho was headed to do.

It was barely ten minutes later when an x-wing shot out of the  _ Echo of Hope’s _ belly and Tycho’s voice came over the speakers, confirming his suspicions.  _ “Corona Squadron, this is General Celchu. I’m tagged as Thirteen on your boards. Form up on me.” _

_ “Dad?” _ Larissa Celchu’s voice came through the comm chatter loud and clear, her shock almost tangible.  _ “What the hell are you doing out here?” _

_ “Assuming command of Corona Squadron,” _ Tycho replied far more calmly. 

_ “You haven’t flown like this in years!” _

_ “Let me worry about that, Rogue Five. Concentrate on Rogue Squadron’s mission. Corona will handle ours.” _

_ “Yes sir,” _ she said reluctantly before kicking her x-wing into another gear and shooting after a TIE fighter. Hux almost felt sorry for the TIE pilot as they became the target of her irritation. Truth be told, he was equally startled by the decision to send a ranking general like Tycho Celchu into a storm of dogfights even if they did have a surplus of starfighters and he had clearly volunteered.

Wedge seemed to guess the question that many of the bridge seemed to have. “There’s no one I trust more in an x-wing than Tycho Celchu. Corona needed him more than we did. Let’s get back to work.” 

~

It was as if Snoke had decided to offer up the Knights of Ren as sacrifices although to what end, Ben didn't have a clue. Maybe he was trying to tire them out before they made it closer? It didn’t matter what the intention was: it was really making him mad. He wondered how Kyla Ren felt about the sacrifice of her people. There were a lot of things he didn’t understand about Rey anymore but right now, why she would ever willingly work for someone like Snoke who did stuff like this was at the top of the list.

His uncle opened his mouth to say something and Ben glared. “Don’t lecture me about the dark side right now.”

“I was going to ask if you were ready,” Luke said instead, nodding towards the doors before them. 

Ben turned the question around. “Are you?”

In response, Luke waved a hand at the doors, pushing them open with the Force. Immediately they were greeted by two red armored guards. Ben couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Great. So now the Knights of Ren came in red.

“Let them pass.”

Ben froze as he heard the voice that had whispered to him from childhood outside of his own head for the first time. Slowly, he looked past the guards as they stepped aside. Supreme Leader Snoke, head of the First Order and the being who had personally destroyed their family, sat on a throne at the front of the room with Kyla Ren standing beside him. For years, he’d told himself that he would be ready for this moment, for this chance to take revenge for what Snoke had done to the Jedi through Rey, and now that it was here, he couldn’t breath. It wasn’t until he felt a not so gentle nudge through the Force from his uncle that he could even manage to move one foot in front of the other. 

“Snoke,” Luke said calmly as they traversed the long hall. “This isn’t going to end how you think.” 

“No?” Snoke asked mockingly. “And how would you know that, Skywalker?”

“I trust in the Force.”

“Your Force abandoned you on Ossus.”

“No,” Luke said as they drew to a halt before the dais. Without warning, he turned his piercing blue gaze directly to Kyla. “You did.”

Anger radiated from her through the Force. “No!” she spat out, face hidden once more behind her mask. “You lied to me--”

Luke cut her off. “I did. And so did your Aunt Leia. We lied to both you and Ben because we thought it was for the best. We were wrong.”

“The Supreme Leader offered me truth!”

He shook his head sadly. “No, Rey. He only lead you down a path of anger and isolation but this is a chance to change that. You can still come home to your family. Just leave the dark side behind. It will only destroy you.”

Her lightsaber flew into her hand but Snoke halted her from igniting it with a mere gesture. “Patience, Kyla Ren. You will have your chance.”

“Why did you bring us here?” Ben asked, finally finding his voice again.

The humanoid frowned quizzically. “Bring you here? You and your Resistance friends have attacked my home.”

“No,” Ben said firmly. “I’m not going to fall for that. She,” he pointed to his cousin, “wasn’t allowed to kill me and she was supposed to bring me here. You had a reason. Why?”

“Why would I tell you that?”

“I’ll tell you why. Because you thought you could turn me to the dark side like you did Rey.” She flinched at the sound of her former name. Ben ignored it. “But you’re not going to. You didn’t succeed then and you won’t succeed now.” 

Snoke leaned back in his seat. “Everyone breaks, young Solo. Perhaps not today or tomorrow but everyone breaks eventually. It is such a quiet thing that you might not even realize that you’ve fallen.”

“No one’s falling to the dark side,” Luke interjected. “This ends now.”

“You really think that your little army can defeat mine?” he scoffed.

“Yes,” Luke answered calmly. 

“But can your weapon beat mine?” At a wave, Kyla stepped forward, igniting both ends of her lightsaber as she moved to engage Ben in a duel. “You may have failed her but I took her and I forged her into Kyla Ren just like I will forge her cousin.” 

Snoke may have intended for Kyla to fight only Ben but Luke clearly had no intention of sitting back. Instead, they both stepped forward to fight her, green sabers blazing in contrast to her red ones. She was fast, clearly unhindered by the limited vision her helmet provided her. It was also almost immediately obvious that she was used to fighting multiple opponents simultaneously. They would attack her at the same time and yet she’d still be able to deflect their blows. It also didn't help that they were within her territory. She didn't have to look to know where the platforms and raised and lowered levels were and could instead just flip backwards up to one or push them into a dip, making Ben stumble despite himself. 

After their sparring match the day before, Ben wasn't surprised that Luke could still fight with skills befitting a Jedi Master but Kyla definitely was. If they hadn't been fighting for their lives, it would have almost been funny to see her go through the exact same realization that he had.    
  
She knocked Luke backwards and raised her lightsaber just in time to block a blow from Ben. He pressed down, trying to use his height and weight to his advantage but she held firm. "Nice arm," she said, the smirk audible in her voice.    
  
"Thanks," he replied tersely. "Got it from a friend. Not that you'd know what friends are anymore."    
  
"They're weaknesses," Kyla shot back.    
  
"No," Ben said, thinking about Hux and Larissa and Kalin and Myri and everyone else within the Resistance. "They're really not." Without much warning, he stepped back and spun around to free his saber from hers. She almost stumbled at the loss of resistance and turned just barely in time to stop Luke's attack.    
  
Maybe they were better than the Knights of Ren or whoever Kyla usually trained with but it was starting to become clear to Ben that in a way, her ease with fighting multiple opponents was an edge over their superior skills. Ben and Luke didn't quite know how to time their attacks to be the most effective and staying out of each other's way took a decent amount of effort.    
  
She jumped up to a higher platform and Luke held out a hand, stopping Ben before he could follow. "It doesn't have to be like this, Rey."   
  
"That's not my name anymore."    
  
"It is," Luke said. "You will always be Rey just like you will always be my daughter and loved."    
  
"Jedi platitudes," Kyla scoffed.   
  
He continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Vader became Anakin again before he died. No one is beyond the possibility of redemption."   
  
"Why would I want that? The dark side gives me strength."   
  
All of her attention was focused on her father and Ben slowly began edging away. Maybe he could slip beneath the raised walk away and attack her from the other side, assuming Snoke didn't warn her but the old man seemed content to watch the duel play out for now.   
  
"The dark side only takes," Luke corrected her. "It takes and it takes until you have nothing more left to give and then it abandons you for another."   
  
Kyla laughed. "Haven't you figured it out yet? I don't care." Bending his knees, Ben jumped into the air only to found himself caught there by an invisible hand. He struggled but to no avail. Kyla tilted her head to the side. "Don't you know that interrupting is rude?" She didn't give him a chance to respond before hurling him against a pillar. Every part of his body hurt and he was fairly sure that he’d broken a few ribs and his head spun from the force of impact. He tried to push himself up but failed, collapsing down again. Maybe he would just stay there for a few minutes.   
  
"Ben!" Luke shouted with concern. He could only manage a groan in response. The Jedi Master turned to look up at his daughter. "This ends, Rey. Now."    
  
"This ends with your death," she responded before leaping down, both ends of her saber blazing back to life.    
  
Watching just the two of them duel felt like an entirely different spectacle. She had the advantage of youth and training from other sources but the Force seemed to surround her father in a way that it didn't quite envelop her. There was a grace to how both of them moved that would have looked like a dance if they hadn't been swinging lightsabers at each other.    
  
Still dazed, Ben couldn't quite see the moment when Luke's guard slipped and suddenly one end of Kyla's lightsaber was at his throat and his own lightsaber was held uselessly at his side. Luke stepped back but she shook her head and moved with him. "Don't try it."

“Good. Kill him, my apprentice,” Snoke hissed, “and finish what you have started.”

Kyla hesitated, the red glow of her lightsaber illuminating her father’s face from where it hovered by his throat. “I…”

“Rey,” Luke said sadly, reaching out a hand towards her before dropping it again. 

“Do it!” 

“I…” Kyla shook her head and straightened out of her fighting stance. “I can’t.”

For the briefest moment, Ben felt hope. That hope shattered almost immediately as Snoke rose angrily from his throne and stalked forward. “Fine. I’ll do it myself,” he snapped, yanking the lightsaber from her hands and shoving it straight into Luke Skywalker.

He wasn’t sure if the screams he heard were even his.

~

As much as the admiral might have hoped that Tycho’s presence on the battlefield would provide some sort of inspirational affect, it had clearly been a dream. Their initial shock had long since worn off and the First Order had turned their full force against the Resistance. For every ship the Resistance disabled, it seemed like the First Order was now destroying or at least severely damaging two of theirs. Wedge Antilles was good but the First Order’s superior numbers and firepower were overwhelming. 

Hux was bent over the tactical charts and read outs of the battle, desperately searching for some opening that might help them win, one of several caught up in such studies. A tiny part of him felt guilty for not worrying about how his husband was faring with his role in the battle but the rest of him acknowledged that he didn’t have even a molecule of attention to spare. Ben would do his part and Hux must do his. 

He frowned as he studied the technical readouts of the  _ Finalizer _ , the First Order’s flagship, and then his frown deepened as he checked his numbers. That couldn’t be right. Silently, he sent the data over to Kalin with a note asking her to double check him. Within a minute, he had confirmation. “Admiral Antilles, I believe that I’ve found something.”

Wedge was beside him within seconds. “What is it?”

Hux pointed to the weakness. “Their flag ship’s shields are weakest near their hangar bays. This one here offers proximity to their primary reactor and their auxiliary bridge. If we can get a fighter in there with a few well placed torpedoes, I calculate a 78% chance that the  _ Finalizer _ will lose their helm control long enough to crash into either the  _ Absolution _ or the  _ Judicator _ based upon their flight patterns up until now.”

“78%?” Wedge asked almost pensively.

“78.71,” Hux amended, unable to help himself. 

The admiral studied the data himself for a few moments before straightening again and nodding. “Good eye, Colonel.” He sent the data to his own datapad with a flick and then moved towards the starfighter command console, gesturing for Hux to come with him. “Rogue, Corona, and Phantom Leaders, do you read me?” After receiving acknowledgements from all three, he continued, “I’m sending data to all of you now. We’ve spotted a weakness near one of the  _ Finalizer’s _ hangar bays. If a fighter can get inside and fire two proton torpedoes towards their reactor, they’ll lose control and likely take one of the other ships with them. It’s not a sure thing but it’s a decent shot.”

_ “I see it,” _ Tycho said almost immediately, voice ever calm.  _ “I believe Corona can handle this. We’re already near by.” _

_ “Don’t be ridiculous,” _ Syal Antilles, Rogue Leader, broke in.  _ “With respect, Admiral, it’s a suicide mission. Whichever one of our people we send will have a hell of a time getting close and there’s only a chance that this will work. What if proton torpedoes aren’t strong enough?” _

“They are, Major,” Wedge replied to his daughter. “This is a volunteer only mission for a skilled pilot.”

_ “It’s me, Wedge,” _ Tycho said, almost sounding amused.  _ “I have an opening and I’m going to take it. This’ll be just like Endor all over again.”  _

“Only if you’re sure.”

_ “I’m sure. Give my apologies and love to Winter. Corona Squadron, give me what cover you can.” _

Hux’s hands curled into fists as he realized what was about to happen. His calculations hadn’t taken into account how much time a pilot might need to extract themselves from inside of the star destroyer. He suspected it wasn’t enough time but there was no stopping his plan now. Instead, he watched, along with what felt like the entire bridge, as Tycho expertly piloted his x-wing, weaving in and out of the enemy starfighters towards the  _ Finalizer’s _ underbelly. More than once, he pulled off a maneuver that would have resulted in the death of a less skilled pilot. It was certainly something to behold.

_ “I’m through,” _ Tycho reported, static crackling as the larger ship’s shields interfered with the comms.  _ “Acquiring target and drawing within optimal firing range… now.” _ There was a brief pause.  _ “Proton torpedoes are away!” _

“Get out of there, Tycho!” Wedge ordered instantly. There was no response. Almost immediately after, there was an explosion within the  _ Finalizer’s _ core that quickly became visible with the naked eye. Hux leaned forward, staring at the tactical display and willing an x-wing to emerge from the star destroyer’s belly. His wish was granted a moment later as Corona Thirteen appeared on their screens again only to wink out of existence a few seconds later as it was overtaken by the fireball exploding out of the  _ Finalizer _ .

_ “Dad!” _

There was no blocking out Larissa’s scream of anguish across the comms, wrenching at the hearts of everyone who heard it. Hux forced himself to remain stone faced as he watched the  _ Finalizer _ careen off course and into the  _ Absolution _ before the other ship could course correct and avoid the collision, taking both ships out of commission. The effect was immediate on the First Order and Wedge Antilles didn’t allow himself the chance to grieve the loss of one of his oldest friends, pressing the Resistance’s attack and putting them on the offensive instead of the defensive again. 

Hux wasn’t quite sure how to reconcile his relief that the 21.29% chance that his idea would fail hadn’t come to fruition and his distinct sense of loss for a man who’d been his mentor for years. The galaxy was going to be a far lesser place without Tycho Celchu in it. It was now on them to make sure that his sacrifice had been worth it.

~

"Pathetic," Snoke pronounced disgustedly, turning Kyla's lightsaber off and walking back to his throne. "I should have known a Skywalker would have been too weak to do what must be done."

Oblivious to him, Kyla dropped to her knees beside her father, ripping off her helmet and tossing it aside. "Dad?" she asked, looking and sounding like that girl they'd once known as Rey for the first time in years. 

Luke managed a small smile despite the effort. “Rey. It’s good to see your face.”

“I didn’t--I’m sor--this isn’t what I wanted!” The words tumbled from her lips almost in a jumble. 

“It’s okay,” Luke said, raising a hand to brush away at the tear running down her cheek. “You need to--” he gasped, breathing clearly harder for him now. “--you’re my daughter and I could never stop loving you.” It was with a great amount of effort that Ben finally forced himself to stand and stumbled the several meters to his uncle’s other side. “The two of you together can end this.”

Kyla shook her head, another tear streaking down her face. “I can’t. It’s too late for me.”

“It’s never too late. Trust in each other.” Luke’s eyes flitted over towards Ben. “You are stronger than you know.” 

Words failed Ben and instead, he just reached down and squeezed his uncle’s hand. Beside him, Kyla was clearly distraught. “Dad, I’m sorry. Please don’t-"

“Shh,” Luke cut her off. “You can always find me in the Force, Rey. I love-” And then he broke off suddenly, letting out one last breath before life escaped him. They only had a few moments to register his passing before Luke Skywalker’s body became one with the Force.

Ben screwed his eyes shut, forcing himself not to cry. He couldn’t afford the luxury of grief right now; not when he was all alone against Snoke and-- he looked over at his cousin whose shoulders shook with silent grief. “Kyla?” he asked cautiously, quietly.

It was a long moment before she met his gaze, anger mixed with sorrow in her hazel eyes. “No. My name is Rey Skywalker.” Grabbing Anakin’s lightsaber, she leapt to her feet, the blue blade igniting with that distinctive  _ snap-hiss _ . “He may have lied to me about our heritage for years but Luke Skywalker loved me for who I was and not for what I could do. Unlike you,” she said, pointing the lightsaber straight at Snoke. Ben scrambled to his feet, his own lightsaber in hand.

The Supreme Leader shook his head, disdain written all over his scarred features. “A pity. I had such high hopes for you but you’re nothing but a disappointment.” 

“Yes,” Rey agreed, “but I won’t be your tool any longer.” 

“You’ll be what? A tool of the Jedi?” he scoffed.

Rey shook her head, walking towards him. “You shouldn’t have killed my father,” she said almost conversationally before springing forward in an attack. Out of nowhere, two of the red guards appeared, pikes crossed before Snoke and thwarting her attack. Ben spun around to see four others advancing quickly while two more remained by the doors as Rey looked between the two who blocked the way forward. “Do you really want to do this? I’ve beaten both of you plenty of times before.”

“But never this many at once.”

“Yeah, well, she’s not alone,” Ben shot over his shoulder. “Or did you miss Uncle Luke’s super inspirational dying words?”

Snoke shrugged. “Then you both will die.”

In unison, the red guards attacked and together, Ben and Rey fought them. Just like the Knights of Ren, their weapons and armor seemed to be reinforced with cortosis ore so that they could withstand a lightsaber blow. Any of their blows that landed true stung and left behind a painful burn that made Ben want to swear up a storm. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rey occasionally struggle with the unfamiliar lightsaber in her hands as she was clearly more comfortable with a double bladed one but no one could claim that she wasn’t holding her own. A change of heart and lightsaber didn’t alter her fighting style though; she was still unrelenting with her blows but equally graceful. 

The guards were also clearly well trained. Fatigue began to get to Ben and his attention slipped for the briefest of moments that was long enough for one to knock him to the ground. Before the guard could strike a fatal blow, he was in turn pushed back by Rey, coming to her cousin’s rescue.

“Thanks,” Ben said, scrambling to his feet. She didn’t respond verbally, eyes fixed on the guards to see who could strike next. Conversationally, he asked, “You know doesn’t mean that I forgive you for all those times you tried to kill me, right?” 

“I don’t forgive you for all those times you tried to kill me either,” Rey shot back.

“Yeah but I didn’t chop off your arm.”

“Not for a lack of trying!”

“Can we talk about this later?” she asked through gritted teeth. “I don’t really need your forgiveness right now. I just need you to help me stay alive.”

“No one respects combat bantering anymore,” Ben grumbled before focusing his attention on the fight again. 

First one fell then two then three then four: clearly no match for two young Skywalkers working in tandem. They weren’t without their injuries though. Ben’s previously broken ribs were beginning to hurt in a way that even adrenaline couldn’t mask and while they were both talented, the red guards had gotten in more than their fair share of blows towards the battle’s start thanks to their simply overwhelming numbers. Even Rey was moving more slowly now as the two door guards joined in the battle after Ben found a weakness in the armor and dispatched the fifth. 

She wiped away blood from her nose with a gloved hand, never taking her eyes from Snoke as she did. “Why don’t you fight us yourself?” she challenged him.

“Why would I?” he asked disdainfully although Ben was positive that he detected a note of concern in his voice.

Rey must have done the same. “Because you know me,” she hissed, turning just in time to block a high blow from a red guard. “You know what I can do and it terrifies you what I could do with my cousin at my side.”

Snoke waved aside her concern. “Guards. Finish them.”

Someone in that throne room had delusions of grandeur and Ben honestly wasn’t sure if it was Snoke or Rey. On the one hand, it seemed like they had every chance of winning because they’d already killed five of the eight guards but on the other hand, they were slowly fading. For every opponent they laid low, they added to their personal collection of wounds. Their robes were ripped and burned in places and Ben yearned for a moment to stem the bleeding from his arm. He was just happy that the mechanical arm didn’t seem to have taken any serious damage. 

They worked in harmony now instead of mostly just handling their own opponents. Ben would block a blow from a guard while Rey would exploit a weak joint in the armor and then they’d repeat the process again and again until finally, the last red guard fell to the ground dead and they turned in unison to face Snoke.

“You’ve failed, Supreme Leader,” Ben intoned as they strode forward. “And now you’re going to pay for what you’ve done to the galaxy.” It wasn’t very light side like of him but after the last few years of his life, he found himself not really caring.

Snoke ignored him as he rose to his feet and stepped down off the dais. “You were my apprentice, Kyla Ren. Do you really think that you can win against me here and now?”

“Yes,” Rey replied simply, settling into a combat position with her lightsaber at the ready.

“You foolish child.” Snoke reached out through the Force and  _ pulled _ at Rey both physically and mentally, suspending her helplessly in midair. She bit back any screams but Ben could feel her agony in the Force as Snoke wormed his way through the mental bond he’d created with her decades ago and twisted it into a conduit, stealing the very life from her body. Curling his fingers, he drew her closer to him until his hands could grab at her robes, attention completely focused on her. 

There was no time for stealth anymore. Ben took advantage of the distraction and moved behind Snoke, out of his range of vision. He knew what he had to do but not if he had the strength to do it. Rey caught his eye and he felt a fleeting sense of surety flow towards him.  _ Do it _ , she mouthed.  _ You have to.  _

He knew that she was right. Connected as Snoke and Rey now were on the mental plane, there was only one way this could end. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself before plunging his lightsaber straight through Snoke, not flinching as it passed through Rey’s body too. The humanoid screamed and released her even as Ben pulled his lightsaber free. “You can’t do this!” Snoke shrieked, all of his mystique gone.

“Yeah,” Ben said, stepping around to offer Rey a hand up. The two of them looked down at Snoke, not one ounce of sympathy in their eyes. “We kinda can.” This time, two sabers skewered the Supreme Leader. He was dead before he hit the ground.

It was over.

Beside him, Rey wavered, shutting down her lightsaber just before she fell to her knees. Ben immediately dropped beside her, supporting her upper body. “Hold on, we’ll get you help.”

Despite herself, Rey laughed. “Ben, I took a lightsaber to the chest and just watched my dad die the same way. I know how this ends. Besides,” she coughed, “you felt what he did to me. I don’t have much left.”

“We can fix this,” Ben insisted stubbornly, voice echoing in the suddenly empty hall. 

“I don’t mind dying. I just… I need you to promise me something.”

“What? Anything.”

“When you tell them… don’t make me a hero,” Rey whispered. “And remember me.”

It seemed a strange request but as Ben frowned and studied her eyes, it dawned on him what she really meant. “I will,” he promised her. 

She managed a small smile. “Thank you.” And then the woman who had once been Kyla Ren breathed her last as Rey Skywalker.

It was a long minute before Ben carefully lowered her body all the way to the ground and closed her eyes. “I forgive you, Rey,” he whispered even though it was too late for her to hear him. He would always carry the pain of her betrayal with him but he had also seen her in her final moments and that had been enough to follow the Jedi way.

Wearily, Ben rose to his feet, stepped back, and looked around the room, seeing nothing but dead bodies and an empty throne. “Oh,” he said to no one but the air. “I guess I won. Great.” Almost immediately, a combination of exhaustion, his wounds, and pure grief won out and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious. 


	13. Chapter 13

They held a countless number of memorials. 

From the timeline Resistance leadership had constructed in the aftermath, Snoke’s death on planet had roughly coincided with the First Order’s fleet suddenly seeming discombobulated. They’d originally attributed it to a delayed reaction to the loss of the  _ Finalizer _ but Ben and Leia had suggested that maybe Snoke had been subtly using the Force to help influence and coordinate the First Order. Hux wasn’t sure if he believed that but he’d long since accepted that there was plenty about the galaxy he didn’t understand. The Resistance had instantly gone on the offensive and pressed their advantage, destroying great swaths of the First Order’s fleet until the remainder offered their surrender. The battle had promptly shifted into a logistical nightmare as Admiral Ackbar took charge of the situation and detailed about a quarter of their remaining forces to head down to the ground to accept their surrender and disarm them all. Ackbar and Wedge at least seemed hopeful about the rehabilitation of the stormtroopers and more junior officers. Hux was slightly less so but perhaps that was just his habitual pessimism. 

The Resistance had returned to their hidden base only long enough to regroup before abandoning it again to return to the more civilized part of the galaxy. Leia had been adamant that they needed to make themselves visible to be a beacon of hope for a war torn galaxy. They would need some sense of stability if they were to continue on. With Hosnian Prime gone and no next host capital selected, there was no obviously logical place for them to go. Naboo had immediately offered to open their doors to the tired Resistance fighters. The war hadn’t touched them and even Hux had to admit that there were far worse places to recuperate than in one of their beautiful villas along the lake.

Ben and Hux didn’t have more than a few moments to chat until they were en route to Naboo and when they finally did have time, the words were difficult for both of them. They both knew what they’d lost. Hux frowned as he inspected the myriad of injuries that his husband had acquired over the battle’s course. Ben shook his head. “It’s nothing bad. I’ll heal fast.”

“I’d accept no other answer,” Hux said, finishing his inspection by pressing a soft kiss to Ben’s lips. “I’m sorry, you know,” he said as he pulled away.

Ben’s brow furrowed. “About what?”

“Your uncle and…” he hesitated, “and your cousin too.”

“Thanks,” Ben answered mechanically before seeming to remember who he was talking to. “It was… I think that a part of me knew what was going to happen but I didn’t think it’d happen like that.”

“What did you expect?”

“That Kyla--that Rey would be the one to kill Uncle Luke and that I’d kill her,” Ben said bluntly. “Or that maybe I’d be the one that died and Uncle Luke would save the galaxy again. I mean, I didn’t want to die but I knew it might happen. I just…”

Hux waited a moment before asking, “Do you want to tell me what did happen?” 

It was a long handful of seconds before Ben spoke again, slowly recounting the events within Snoke’s fortress from the moment they’d entered and fought the Knights of Ren until he’d felt the life slip from Rey’s body. Hux listened silently, reaching out and taking his hand as Ben reached the part where Snoke had taken Luke’s life and he held him as he finished his story and his shoulders had started to shake. No more words needed to pass between them for a while.

“I’m sorry,” Ben finally whispered. 

“Don’t apologize,” Hux said, dropping a kiss to his neck. 

Ben shifted to face him. “I didn’t ask about--are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Hux deflected. “Tycho was… a good man and my mentor. The galaxy shouldn’t have to be without him.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Hux frowned. “Ben…”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” he apologized immediately. “But… listen, it wasn’t your fault. No one thinks it was your fault.”

“I know,” Hux lied convincingly enough that he almost believed himself. 

Their physical scars would fade but the mental ones would clearly linger. At least they had each other.

Everything happened in a whirlwind once they arrived at Naboo. The Naboo were incredibly accommodating, bending over backwards to not only find them all accommodations but also a space large enough for all of the surviving Resistance members to attend a memorial service for all of those who’d fallen in the final battle. Everyone was present, even those who’d been injured during the battle. Hux was even pleasantly surprised to see that Myri Antilles had finally woke up and was standing with her family and the Celchus, leaning heavily on her sister’s arm.  Leia had lead the ceremony, standing before them in a dark blue gown with her hair twisted into a traditional Alderaanian style and face stoic throughout. She spoke about hope and sacrifice and remembering all of those who’d paid the ultimate price for the galaxy’s freedom. 

Perhaps the hardest part had been when she’d read the list of names of everyone who’d fallen that day and in the aftermath, giving each no more attention than the other. To his dismay, Hux had recognized more than a few in addition to Tycho’s. Snap Wexley, Alinn Varth, Caluan Ematt, Pash Cracken, Soryn Task, Greer Sonnel… the list went on. Their sacrifices had helped secure a better future for the galaxy that they’d never see. The last name Leia read was her brother’s, the first hint of anguish appearing in her eyes for a moment before being pushed aside. 

As the ceremony ended, Ben caught his eye from where he stood at the front and raised his eyebrows questioningly. Hux shook his head and thought  _ later _ . Ben got the message and nodded, turning to head in another direction. Steeling himself for what he knew he had to do, Hux took a deep breath and caught up with Winter Celchu as she was exiting the plaza, almost faltering as he saw her children were with her.

"Hux," she greeted him with a nod. "How are you?"

"I'm-- I wanted to speak with you," he replied, uncharacteristically blunt.

Winter leaned her head slightly to the right, studying him for a long moment. "I see. Why don't we step over here?" He followed, grateful to be away from the mass of people for what he had to say. She clasped her hands before her and looked at him expectantly. “This is about Tycho, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hux said, forcing himself to forge ahead before he lost his nerve. “The plan to take down the  _ Finalizer _ was mine and I suggested it despite the low odds of escape for the pilot. I feel responsible for your husband’s death and I wanted to express my--”

"Hux." Winter's voice was patient yet firm as she cut him off. "Did you tell my husband to get into that x-wing?"

"No, ma'am."

"Did you tell him to volunteer for that final mission?"

"No, ma'am."

"Were you somehow controlling his ship?"

"No but--"

Winter cut him again off with a shake of her head. “Then to put it simply, you were not responsible.” He opened his mouth to protest again but she simply carried on. “The only people to blame for Tycho’s death are within the First Order. I will not have you blaming yourself for it and not just because my husband wouldn’t stand for it either.”

Hux was taken back. “I… may I express my sympathies to you and your family?” he asked hesitatingly. 

“You may.” Her stoicism broke and he could detect a flicker of grief in her eyes. “I may not have been there but I do know my husband and I can promise you Tycho knew precisely what he was doing when he volunteered for the mission and he wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to fly it. It’s just who he was. I believe that you know that.”

“I do,” Hux admitted.

Winter made him hold her gaze. “Tycho was fond of you, Hux. He’d hate knowing that you blamed yourself for his decision.”

“I…” Hux opened his mouth and shut it again, having no response. 

Winter smiled, clearly realizing that her point had been made. “You’re a good person, Hux. Don’t let yourself forget that. That is the best way you could possibly honor my husband.”

Hux murmured, “Yes, ma’am.”

“I have to speak with Leia right now,” Winter excused herself apologetically. “But I’m sure we’ll speak again soon. And don’t forget what I’ve said.”

Hux was still frowning with contemplation a few long moments later when familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. “It’s okay,” Liselle said, coming up behind him. “She has that effect on a lot of people.”

“I simply wanted to do what was right,” Hux said quietly. “I didn’t expect--”

“That effect,” she cut him off. “Congratulations, by the way.”

He sighed. “Should I even bother asking how you know?”

“Not when you’re openly wearing a wedding ring,” Liselle said with a smirk. “It’s as if you’re not even trying to make it a challenge.”

“Maybe after we’ve all recovered from the war.” They started walking through the city, away from the dispersing crowds and towards a beautifully carved fountain. “Do you know what you’ll do now?”

She shrugged. “The same thing I’ve always done. They’ll always needs spies; it just might be quieter than I’ve gotten used to.” 

“It’ll be a fair bit quieter for all of us now except for maybe the politicians.”

“Considering a career change?”

“Hardly!”

“You could have a talent for it,” Liselle said with a shrug. 

“Don’t be absurd. It’s unlike you.”

“I have to keep you on your toes somehow. Can’t have you thinking I’m just another analyst.”

He shook his head. “As if I ever could.” He paused. “Try to remember to say something before you head off again.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Is that sentiment I hear, Colonel?”

“Yes,” he admitted bluntly, something he would have never dreamed of doing five years ago. 

It was a moment before Liselle smiled and nodded. “I’ll do what I can. I do owe General Cracken a report today though.”

“Cracken wants to look through analysis today? Didn't his son just die?”

She shrugged. “He’s thorough. I’ll see you around, Hux.” 

The Resistance, Hux was learning, didn't deal with death quite as he’d expected. 

For the most part, he avoided attending any of the other smaller memorial services that different parts of the Resistance held, including the pilots’ one that was held in a cantina for some reason. He wasn’t unwilling to honor the dead but the entire air surrounding such events made him uncomfortable at best. What he couldn't avoid was the one held for Luke Skywalker and Rey. There was only one body to cremate (for reasons he still didn’t quite understand) and yet they gathered to honor both lives. Intimate was the best word that Hux could think of to describe the group that Leia had assembled. He felt no particular attachment to either Luke or Rey but wanted to be there for Ben who was clearly more shaken by the events of the last few months than he cared to let on. Hux could understand that. 

The person who’d lead them to the small alcove attached to the palace in Theed had remarked that this wasn't the first Jedi funeral the place had seen before departing. Hux filed that little factoid away for future research. 

“Ben?” Leia said expectantly after they were all gathered. “Would you like to start?”

Startled, his head whipped around. “Me? Why me?” 

“Because you always knew her best,” she replied smoothly. “And because you were there.”  

“Oh. Uhm. Okay.” Ben stepped away from Hux and towards the center of the area, never taking his eyes from Rey’s body on the pier. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand towards hers before dropping it back to his side. “Rey was… Rey was a lot of things but I think that what matters right now is that she was herself at the end and not Kyla. I mean, she was always one person but--” He broke off and stared at the ground. “Before she died, she asked me not to make her into a hero and I don't think we should but she did the right thing at the end and I think that counts for something. I wouldn't be here if she hadn’t.”

Ben stepped back to his place beside Hux, clearly uncomfortable with being put on the spot like that. A moment later, he reached for his hand, the gesture hidden by the fabric of his Jedi robe. 

One by one, other members of the assembly stepped forward to talk about Rey and Luke. Han talked about how he’d first met Luke in a cantina on Tatooine and then about Rey when she was still a small, happy child. Leia talked about how she and Luke had slowly realized what it meant to be siblings after thinking they had none for decades. Lando Calrissian even made an appearance and talked about teaching Rey how to play sabaac when she was eight. 

Once the last person finished speaking, Leia stepped forward again to light the bier. The silence that hung over the gathering didn't feel awkward but rather respectful. There were very few dry eyes amongst them. 

As the flames started to die down, they filed out of the alcove, conversation quietly starting up again amongst them. “Come on,” Ben said to Hux. “We have to go talk to Mom and Dad.” 

He frowned. “About what?”

“About us!”

“Ben, this might not be the best--”

“It’s fine!” Ben brushed off his concerns and dragged him towards his parents. “Hey Mom, Dad!”

Han had his arm around his wife and looked up first. “Hey kid. What’s up?”

“Hux doesn't think this is the best time but we wanted to tell you that…” He trailed off and glanced over at Hux for reassurance before continuing. “We got married last week.”

Han reacted first, letting out a chuckle. “Shouldn't have taken that bet.”

Ben frowned. “Wait, what bet?”

Leia smiled. “The bet with me, Ben. I already know.”

“What?” he exclaimed. “How?”

“I know everything that happens in the Resistance. Also I’m your mother and did you two  _ really _ think that I wouldn't notice that you’d suddenly started wearing wedding bands?” 

“We were trying to be discreet,” Hux murmured, suddenly unable to make eye contact with her. 

Leia’s smile was tinged with sadness. “Why? We could use some happy news after all of this death.” Stepped towards him, she rose up on her toes and cupped his face between both of her hands, kissing his forehead. “Welcome to the family, Brendol.” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” he managed to reply. 

“You are absolutely forbidden from referring to your mother-in-law as ma’am outside of military events,” Leia informed him seriously. 

“Very well--” he choked on the now forbidden word but could quite make himself use her given name. Instead, he just stopped speaking entirely, making both Leia and Ben smirk. 

“You’ll learn,” Leia said. 

Han extended a hand towards him. “What she said about being welcome to the family.”

Hux was infinitely grateful that he didn't try and hug him too. “Thank you.” 

“Once the Republic is more established again, you two are going to let us throw a party in your honor,” Leia said, not even bothering to phrase it like a question. 

“Mom!” Ben groaned. 

“Don't bother arguing, Ben.”

“Yeah but you’re going to make us the center of attention and all of the holorags will make a big deal out of it.”

“It’ll just be for family and friends.”

“Yeah, cuz that’s always stopped them before.”

Han nudged Hux in the ribs with an elbow. “You get used to it.”

As he watched mother and son continue to argue as they made their way back through the palace, Hux wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing to hear.

~

The first thing Hux noticed as he approached his sister the next day was that she didn't have a guard with her anymore. Leia appeared to have been true to her word regarding loosening the restrictions after the war ended. The second thing that he noticed was that she was talking to Kalin. 

“Will you return to the military once it’s reestablished then?” Alys was asking. 

Kalin shrugged. “I don't know yet. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do with my life but working for Leia has been incredible and I’m not sure I could turn away from that especially since she’ll be trying to rebuild the Republic again. This is all assuming she even wants me to keep working for her.”

“I’d assume that she would given how many years you worked with Brendol. If I still know my brother, I suspect he had the highest of standards.”

“He does but it was a good thing.” Kalin’s eyes didn't even widen in surprise as she caught sight of him. “Hello Colonel.”

He couldn't help but wince. “No ranks today please.”

Alys arched an eyebrow. “You have changed.”

“A decade with the New Republic will do that to you,” Hux said dryly. “You’ll see.”

“I’m sure,” Alys matched his tone.

Kalin rolled her eyes. “Honestly, it’s not that bad here. Besides,” she waved her hand towards the blue sky above them. “There was nothing like this in the First Order.”

Something about Alys’s demeanor softened ever so slightly and she almost smiled. “That’s very true.”

Kalin glanced between them before clasping her hands behind her back and nodding. “I’ll leave the two of you to talk. Alys, it was nice chatting with you. Hopefully we can talk more soon.”

A soft sound of surprised caught in his sister’s throat before she managed a nod. “I would like that.”

“Good,” Kalin said decidedly. “Hux, I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Kalin, a moment?” She paused and Hux took a few steps away from his sister to catch up with her. “I overheard… while I think it would be a great loss to either the military or General Organa, I will support whatever decision you make and provide whatever recommendations you require.”

Smiling, she reached out and laid a hand on his arm. “Hux, I promise that I won’t just pull a Liselle. You’re like family. You’ll know whatever I decide almost as soon as I do.” Stepping back, Kalin smiled. “Like I said, I’ll find you later.”

Hux watched his former aide walk away for a few seconds before turning back to his sister. “Well. I’m glad to see that you’re at least talking with someone.”

“I like her,” Alys said. “She’s smart and doesn’t seem to care that I was fighting for the other side up until recently.”

“There was more than one occasion over the years where I did think that it was a shame you two would never meet as I thought you’d get along.”

“Funny how the galaxy works out.”

“Indeed.”

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the flow of the fountain water and the other people pass them by. Finally, Alys broke it, “I heard that you married your Jedi.”

He nodded, not looking over. “I did, yes. I had intended to be the one to tell you but I suppose word travels fast.”

“Your Resistance does love a good piece of gossip,” she said without any bite in her words. “As private as you are, I’ve always been surprised that you’ve gone after the sons of the more highly placed.”

His cheeks flushed pink. “A coincidence, I assure you.”

“I don’t feel particularly assured.” Almost immediately, she smiled. “I’m happy for you, Bren. Honestly. You made a life yourself within the Republic and you found someone who cares about you. It’s… more than I ever expected when you left.”

“I certainly didn’t expect to find myself married to an Organa Solo,” Hux said. “But I… thank you. I hope that you and Ben will get a chance to know each other.”

“A brother-in-law…” Alys tested the phrase out. “I would have never thought.” Hux arched an incredulous eyebrow. “Oh please, don’t be ridiculous. You know I’ve always known  _ that. _ I meant that I never expected you to marry.”

He shrugged. “Neither did I so that makes two of us.” 

“Will you re-enlist in their military?”

“Most likely.”

“And will Ben--” she frowned, “What does Ben do?”

“He’s a Jedi mostly.”

“A well paying position, I’m sure.”

“There was actually some arrangement between the Jedi Order and the New Republic where--” Hux broke off as he saw Alys’s expression. “Ah.” Before she could say anything, he shifted the conversation abruptly. “What do you intend to do now that you have your freedom?”

Alys shrugged before folding her arms across her chest. “Take advantage of the Resistance’s hospitality for as long as I can before deciding on a next move. The military isn’t an option for more than a few reasons and I’m not entire sure what else I might do. I have considered going back to Arkanis, if nothing else.”

The corner of his mouth twitched downward. “Don’t. It has yet to stop raining.”

“It always was miserable,” Alys acknowledged with a nod, “but it’s as close to home as I have right now.”

Hux cleared his throat, considering how to say his next words. “I can help while you take the time to decide on a way forward. The military never paid well but I was able to save a fair amount over the years.”

She stiffened. “I don’t want your charity, Brendol.”

“It’s not charity,” he responded cooly. “First, you’re my sister and this is what family does for each other. Second, you can consider it repayment for all the times I’ve left you behind, if you must.”

There was a moment of hesitation before she nodded curtly. “Under those terms, I can accept your offer.”

Pride, he reflected. Huxes seemed bound to be cursed by it. “Then it’s decided,” he said with a sense of finality. “Now then. Have you had a proper drink?”

“Not since my interrogation,” Alys said.

“We should rectify that, little sister,” Hux said, nodding in the direction of a bar Han had mentioned the other day. “And we can finally catch up. Seventeen years is a long time.”

~

“This is ridiculous,” Hux protested, smiling despite himself as Ben guided him out of the landspeeder. He’d woken him up early that morning and insisted that they both dress swiftly, ignoring Hux’s questions as they got into a landspeeder and Ben had blindfolded him. 

“No it’s a surprise. I told you that,” Ben corrected him. “Okay just a few more steps and… there!”

He yanked the blindfold off and Hux took a moment, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the light. “Oh!” The view was positively breathtaking with the sun sparkling on the crystal clear water and equally beautiful villas sporadically populating the lake’s shores amongst the wooded trees. He turned to take in the building behind him, appreciating the care the architect had put into the design.

“Do you like it?” Ben asked nervously.

Hux nodded. “Where are we?”

“This is my family’s home technically. Not Mom’s but her biological mother’s. She was a politician here back before the Clone Wars and her family somehow kept themselves out of the Emperor’s path enough to hold on to their position here after she died. I didn’t even know about them until like six years ago. Aunt Pooja’s really nice though. She’s the one who said we could come stay here for a few days and…” Ben waved vaguely. “Yeah.”

“I do like it,” Hux affirmed, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around Ben’s neck to pull him into a kiss. It all felt so surreal to be kissing the man who was now his husband in such a picturesque place especially so barely removed from the horrors of war they’d both faced. As their lips parted, he murmured, “Thank you.”

“Come on, let’s go over here.” Ben grabbed his right hand lead him a little further up the hill towards a grassy spot in the shade beneath a tree, pulling him down to sit beside him. 

Hux looked down at their joined hands and frowned ever so slightly, reaching out to brush his fingers against the metal hand. “You know that I don’t care that your other hand is artificial, yes?”

Ben hesitated before nodding. “Yeah, I know. I… I just like touching you with my actual hand better. It feels more real. The other one doesn’t feel like me yet. Uncle Luke said it’ll take a while before it does.” He felt quiet again, staring out into the water. Hux didn’t press, waiting for him to talk in his own time. For a while, he didn’t say anything and just released Hux’s hand and slid down to lay with his head in his lap. Automatically, Hux started running his fingers through Ben’s dark hair. It was a comfortable pose for them, having spent many hours just like that in one of their beds while Hux reviewed reports on his datapad. Granted, they usually wore far less clothing but that didn’t detract from the solace it gave them both now. “It almost feels wrong,” Ben finally said.

“What does?” Hux prompted him.

“That we should be so happy when so many other people died. When people we really loved died.”

“I know.”

“But I also know they’d be really mad if we didn’t keep living our lives because otherwise, what was the point of fighting for all this?”

“To stop the First Order?”

“Well aside from that.” Ben turned his head so he could look up. “I still can’t believe that we actually won.”

“I don’t think that most of us can,” Hux admitted, leaning his head back against the tree. “There’s certainly something to be said for the element of surprise.”

Ben shrugged. “I guess. I just feel bad that Mom doesn’t get to take a break yet. She won a war and she still has to fix everything. Again.”

“I’m not sure that your mother knows  _ how _ to take a break.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.”

“I’m here with you now, aren’t I?”

“Yeah but it won’t last. I know you. You were going crazy after like a week when you resigned from the New Republic’s navy. You’ll find something else to do in all this aftermath.”

“A valid point,” Hux conceded, the words bringing a nagging thought to the forefront. 

Ben frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Once the dust settles, I don’t know what I’ll be anymore without a war to fight,” Hux admitted, looking away.

“Hey.” Ben reached up to nudge his chin down. “It’s okay. Me neither. We can find out together. That’s what we’re supposed to do, right? Face whatever the galaxy throws at us together?”

“Something along those lines, yes.”

“So we’ll figure it out together then. No matter how long it takes. We’ve got the rest of our lives.”

“Yes,” Hux said with certainty, shifting so it would be a more comfortable angle as Ben pulled him down for another kiss. “Yes, we do.”

Ben was right, Hux thought as he lost himself in the kiss. It would take them both time to recover from the war and from the loss but they had each other to help them get through the trying times and then they’d be there for the good ones. The galaxy might still need them one day but they had to let themselves heal first and then, who knew what they might do? 

It was, with great satisfaction, that Hux acknowledged that he was not alone in the galaxy. And he never would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, well, that's that. This is crazy. Honestly. When I started posting The Enemy Ahead about a year and a half ago, I had no idea that this was going to be a trilogy. Actually, I never thought I was going to finish the story. All I knew was that I wanted to write about Hux and Ben being on the side of the good guys and see if I could make it believable. I think I did? Well... you all are the best judge of that. Point is... I had no idea I would finish an entire trilogy. Sitting down to write this one was terrifying because I had next to no idea what would happen and, well, endings are scary. And yet here we are. 
> 
> I'd like to thank those of you who were with me/reading from the start (especially Lara, Sabrina, and zedille) and everyone who ever took a moment out of their day to comment. You're all always welcome to come say hi to me on tumblr even if it's just to ask "Hey, what do you think happens to x?" (Because yeah, I have thoughts.)
> 
> I'd also like to particularly thank everyone who made room in their hearts for Kalin, Liselle, and Alys. OCs can be tricky creatures and by the trilogy's nature, there had to be a lot of them so I'm thrilled that you all liked that trio of ladies. 
> 
> I'm terrible at wrapping things up so I'll just end it here and say thank you once again to everyone. This has been an incredibly fun ride and I'm going to miss it.  
> 


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